ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electromagnetic Fields: Health Hazards

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has evaluated on the effects on human health of residence near high-voltage power lines.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Health is responsible for the assessment of risks to human health and providing advice to Government Departments such as DECC. As such, DECC has not evaluated any research relating to human health of residence near high voltage power lines. The Department of Health is advised by the Health Protection Agency and both keep emerging science under review.

Energy: Prices

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to regulating energy prices;
	(2)  what recent discussions his Department has had with energy companies on energy prices;
	(3)  what recent discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on energy prices; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with Ofgem and energy suppliers on a regular basis to discuss market issues.
	Consumers deserve the best possible deal, which means effective competition in the marketplace. We are cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail markets, while Ofgem is tackling other barriers to effective competition (such as tariff complexity and low wholesale market liquidity) in its retail market review. While greater competition should put pressure on prices, consumers should also regularly evaluate the best deal on the market.

Energy: Prices

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the average unit cost of (a) natural gas and (b) electricity including all taxes, charged to electric arc steelmakers in (i) the UK, (ii) Holland, (iii) France, (iv) Spain and (v) Germany in the latest period for which figures are available.

Charles Hendry: DECC holds no information on energy costs to specific industries in the UK or Europe. However, DECC does collect energy price data for UK industry for different consumption sizebands and supplies this to Eurostat, the European Union's statistical agency.
	Eurostat publishes industrial gas and electricity price data for all EU member states. Prices in the largest sizebands could be used as a proxy for electric arc steelmakers.
	Prices detailed as follows include all taxes not refundable on purchase.
	
		
			  Pence per kWh, July-December 2010 
			  Natural gas: Large consumers consuming  27,778-277,777 MWh per annum Electricity: Extra large consumers: consuming 420,000 MWh per annum with a maximum demand of 50  MW 
			 UK 1.78 6.70 
			 Netherlands 2.32 7.09 
			 France 2.35 4.71 
			 Spain 2.14 5.68 
			 Germany 3.26 7.64 
			 EU 15 median 2.35 6.31

Energy: Private Rented Housing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received from (a) Macmillan Cancer Support, (b) Citizens Advice Bureau, (c) Crisis and (d) the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health on minimum standards of energy efficiency for private rented homes; what response he gave in each case; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: The Department received a representation from these organisations, among others, on 2 September, to which a written response will be given shortly.

Energy: Private Rented Housing

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward amendments to the Energy Bill to make letting agents responsible for complying with the minimum standard of energy efficiency for private rented homes.

Gregory Barker: Existing provisions under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 will prevent letting agents from marketing private rented homes which do not meet the minimum standard of energy efficiency.
	Therefore, an amendment to the Energy Bill is not necessary.

Energy: Private Rented Housing

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward amendments to the Energy Bill to introduce a minimum standard of energy efficiency for private rented homes in 2016.

Gregory Barker: We are committed to working with the sector to encourage uptake of the Green Deal well ahead of 2018. For this reason, I have been clear that I see 2018 as the 'finishing line' as opposed to the 'starting line' for this policy. However, if we do not see the sector responding well ahead of this date we could reconsider the timing and introduce regulations earlier.

Energy: Tenants

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward amendments to the Energy Bill to ensure that tenants are protected from retaliatory eviction if they make requests of their landlords for energy efficiency improvements.

Gregory Barker: The Department has set up a working group involving a range of key stakeholders to explore the issue of retaliatory evictions in relation to the private rented sector provisions in the Energy Bill. This group will report to Ministers in DECC and the Department for Communities and Local Government in October 2011.

Feed-in Tariffs: Schools

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of (a) schools and (b) hospitals that have participated in the (i) feed-in tariff and (ii) renewable heat incentive since his appointment.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem provide information on the number of installations registered for the Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) scheme which started in April 2010. While this does not provide information in the form requested, it does show a total of 558 community installations accredited for FITs, which could include installations on schools and hospitals.
	There have been no participants in the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme as it is not yet open for applications. Subject to state aid approval, the Government intends that the RHI will open for applications from the non-domestic sector on 30 September 2011.

Fuel Poverty: Private Sector

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has (a) taken and (b) plans to take to alleviate fuel poverty in the private rented sector; what recent discussions he has had with (i) Ministers in HM Treasury and (ii) other ministerial colleagues on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: Currently the Warm Front scheme in England provides support to private housing tenures, including the private rented sector. In addition, the carbon emissions reduction target, which was extended to December 2012, sets new requirements on suppliers to increase the proportion of benefits (energy efficiency measures like insulation) going to the most vulnerable low income, family, pensioner and disabled households.
	From late 2012, the Green Deal, the Government will help to improve the energy efficiency of all households, including those in fuel poverty in the private rented sector. The Green Deal will be supported by the energy company obligation (ECO). As well as driving carbon savings, the ECO will have a significant focus on providing ‘Affordable Warmth’ to support the lowest income and most vulnerable, contributing to the Government's efforts to alleviate fuel poverty. We will be consulting shortly on eligibility for this element of the ECO, taking into account evidence on fuel poverty in different tenures, as part of our wider consultation.
	Furthermore, provisions in the Energy Bill will further target the private rented sector by making it unlawful for landlords to rent out properties that do not reach a minimum standard energy efficiency from 2018. In addition, from 2016, all tenants should not be unreasonably refused consent from their landlords to make reasonable energy efficiency improvements.
	We continue to engage across Government on this issue.

Green Deal Scheme: Housing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward proposals to protect tenants from eviction for requesting (a) energy efficiency improvements and (b) to participate in the Green Deal; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: The Department has set up a working group involving a range of key stakeholders to explore the issue of retaliatory evictions in relation to the private rented sector provisions in the Energy Bill. This group will report to Ministers in DECC and the Department for Communities and Local Government in October 2011.

Nuclear Reactors

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Office for Nuclear Regulation has spent on the generic design assessment of prospective new nuclear reactor designs since the inception of that process; and what proportion of the expenditure has been recovered from (a) the prospective reactor vendors and (b) the prospective applicant utilities.

Charles Hendry: The Office for Nuclear Regulation and Environment Agency publish the regulatory costs of the generic design assessment process in their regular quarterly reports, available on the GDA website:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/newreactors/reports.htm
	All of the regulatory costs incurred during the GDA process are recoverable from the GDA requesting parties (RPs). How the RPs further divide those costs is a matter for them.
	The most recent report gives these for the period up to March 2011 as:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Office for Nuclear Regulation  
			 Westinghouse 20.72 
			 EDF and AREVA 20.77 
			   
			 Environment Agency  
			 Westinghouse 2.08 
		
	
	
		
			 EDF and AREVA 2.04

Vitol Group

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) contacts and (b) meetings he has had with Vitol Group since May 2010.

Gregory Barker: A list of meetings between DECC Ministers and external organisations is published quarterly on the Department's website.

Wind Power: Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for how many on shore wind turbines planning permission has been (a) sought and (b) granted in (i) England, (ii) North Yorkshire and (iii) the City of York since 1996; and how many turbines have been constructed in that period.

Charles Hendry: DECC's Renewable Energy Planning Database (REPD)(1) tracks the progress of renewable electricity projects from inception, through planning, construction and operational phases and is updated on a monthly basis. The REPD data(2) (August 2011) showing the number of onshore wind turbines that have been applied for, have been consented and that are operational in England, North Yorkshire and York since 1996 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  England North Yorkshire York District 
			 Number of turbines applied for(3) 2,621 80 10 
			 Number of turbines approved(4) 1,496 49 5 
			 Number of turbines operational 740 33 0 
			 (1) http://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/planning-database/ (2) Data include resubmitted applications but exclude many small-scale, micro-generation sites, typically of less than 50 kW installed capacity. (3) Data are comprised of planning applications that have been approved, refused or are currently under consideration. (4) Data are comprised of consented projects that are operational, under construction or awaiting construction.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Agriculture

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to improve the welfare of farmed animals since her appointment; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: We have set up a new Animal Health and Welfare Board for England to have responsibility for strategic animal health and welfare policy, and oversight of its delivery in relation to England. Groups within the new rural and farming network will be able to engage with Ministers on local animal health and welfare issues.
	On 1 April we combined DEFRA's two key agencies for protecting animal health and welfare into a single body: the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency. This joined up approach will enhance our response to animal diseases and protecting the welfare of farmed animals.
	We have implemented EU Council Directive 2007/43, which lays down minimum standards to protect the welfare of conventionally reared meat chickens. The implementing regulations set a maximum stocking density of 39 kg/m((2)), set training requirements for all keepers and require post mortem conditions and mortality rates to be assessed as an indicator of on-farm welfare.
	For the first time, we have introduced a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes which came into force in January 2011.
	We are working with the UK industry to ensure that no hens will be in battery cages by January 2012.
	We have issued proposals to ensure that farm inspections in future will be better targeted on those farms more likely to have welfare problems.
	We have set up an expert group to advise on practical ways of delivering our commitment to ban beak trimming of laying hens in 2016.
	The Farm Animal Welfare Committee continues to provide independent advice to DEFRA on animal welfare. In addition to funding a wide range of scientific research on animal welfare subjects, we also continue to commission ADAS to raise awareness of farmed animal welfare issues and provide guidance to farmers in order to promote good stockmanship and high standards of animal welfare on-farm, in transport and at slaughter through their awareness workshops.
	We are currently considering the role CCTV can play in helping ensure slaughterhouse operators discharge their current and future supervision and monitoring obligations.

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many convictions for offences of cruelty to animals there were in (a) Coventry, (b) the west midlands and (c) the UK in each year since 2000; and how many people were cautioned in each such year.

James Paice: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts, and the number of offenders cautioned for offences of cruelty to animals in west midlands police force area, and England and Wales for the years 2000 to 2010 (latest available) are listed in the following table.
	Information available centrally only allows an area breakdown based on police force areas, so separate statistics are not available for Coventry.
	Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.
	Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring, 2012.
	
		
			 The number of defendants found guilty at all courts, and the number of offenders cautioned for offences of cruelty to animals  (1)   in west midlands police force area and England and Wales, 2000  -  10  (2,3) 
			 Outcome/region 2000  (4) 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009  (5) 2010 
			 West midlands police force area            
			 Found guilty 41 56 37 47 48 49 60 105 65 63 57 
			 Cautions issued(6) — — — 1 — — 2 — — 1 1 
			             
			 England and Wales(7)            
			 Found guilty 861 754 768 783 787 843 758 873 821 914 858 
			 Cautions issued(6) 10 12 12 33 12 26 19 22 11 17 19 
			 (1) Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Cruelty to Animals—Protection of Animals Act 1911 Causing, permitting or falling to prevent unnecessary suffering-S5.4& 32(1) Animal Welfare Act 2006 (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Staffordshire police force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis. (5) Post publication revisions have been made to 2009 figures to account for the late receipt of a small number of court records. (6) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came Into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These Figures have been included in the totals. (7) Includes west midlands police force area. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Animal Welfare: Diseases

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the effect of foot diseases on levels of lameness in the lamb and sheep population.

James Paice: Lameness in sheep is a significant welfare concern. DEFRA has conducted a number of research projects on sheep welfare and the causes and control of foot rot.
	In March this year, DEFRA’s expert committee on the welfare of farmed animals, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, published an Opinion on lameness in sheep:
	http://www.fawc.org.uk/pdf/sheep-lameness-opinion-110328.pdf
	which includes the most up to date recommendations on the management of lameness in sheep, including specific conditions such as foot rot. We intend to raise the control and prevention of lameness to farmers through ADAS awareness workshops later this year.
	The Welfare of sheep is protected by the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended). It is enforced by both the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency and local authorities.
	DEFRA’s Code of Recommendations for livestock: Sheep contains specific guidance regarding the management of lameness, including the consideration to cull sheep promptly if they have chronic lameness which has failed to respond to appropriate treatment.

Animal Welfare: Gun Sports

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of (a) pheasants and (b) partridges which have been produced for sport shooting in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: DEFRA does not hold annual statistics of such birds, but figures produced by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in 2008 estimated that there are 30 million to 35 million pheasants and 5 million to 10 million partridges released each year in Great Britain for sport shooting.

Animal Welfare: Gun Sports

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to ban the farming of birds for sport shooting; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Government have no current plans to ban the farming of birds for sport shooting.
	Gamebirds reared for sporting purposes continue to be protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal as well as failing to provide for the welfare needs of an animal under the control of man. In addition, DEFRA introduced a code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes, which was made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which provides gamebird rearers with guidance on how to meet the welfare needs of their birds.

Animal Welfare: Slaughter Houses

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to improve animal welfare standards in abattoirs.

James Paice: We are committed to the maintenance of high standards of welfare at slaughter and do not condone any form of cruelty.
	The Government are currently working through implementation of regulation 1099/2009, which comes into effect on 1 January 2013. This will include a review of the procedures food business operators will need to have in place, including the use of CCTV, to meet the new monitoring requirements introduced by the regulation.
	The regulation also introduces new requirements in relation to operator competence and the need for all slaughterhouses (above a minimum size) to have a dedicated animal welfare officer and we are working with the Sector Skills Council for the sector to develop accredited training packages and associated assessment procedures aimed at slaughterhouse staff. We are also considering what, if any, retraining existing slaughterhouse staff will be required to undertake before being given a certificate of competence under the new regulation. We have recently commenced a period of informal discussion with key stakeholder interests in advance of a formal consultation on the legislative changes that will take place in early 2012.
	New penalties, sanctions and enforcement arrangements will also be required to underpin the new regulatory framework. Here we are considering extending the current criminal sanctions to include the use of improvement and stop notices to ensure immediate action is taken where welfare breaches are detected. We will also be reviewing the way we assess welfare risks to ensure enforcement and official veterinarian resources are targeted at those businesses or production systems judged to be the highest risk of welfare non compliance.

Animal Welfare: Slaughter Houses

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to increase the number of prosecutions in cases of causing unnecessary suffering and injury to animals at slaughterhouses; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Official veterinarians (OVs) of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitor and enforce the rules set out in the regulations on a daily basis in all licensed slaughterhouses (approved premises). The Government will not hesitate to take action against anyone failing to comply with the law and OVs will take immediate action to put right any problems they may find. This may include verbal or written advice or warnings and, when necessary, a referral for prosecution. If OVs see animals arriving at a slaughterhouse which show evidence of welfare problems arising on farm or during transport, they will report the incident to the appropriate enforcement body, which will take the necessary follow-up action.
	On 1 September 2011, as announced in Parliament on 12 July 2011, Official Report, column 11WS, the prosecution function and prosecution team in DEFRA transferred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Following this change, the decision on whether to prosecute cases under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 investigated by the FSA, will be taken by the CPS and any prosecution will be conducted the CPS.
	The Government encourage the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, as amended, governs animal welfare at slaughter. The regulations are designed specifically to prevent cruelty or poor practice in slaughterhouses or other places such as farms, where animals are slaughtered or may have to be killed. They also set down specific requirements which must be complied with at all stages of the slaughter or killing process. The regulations make it an offence to cause any animal avoidable excitement, pain or suffering at any time between its arrival at a slaughterhouse and when it is killed.

Animals: Electric Shock Equipment

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received on the use of (a) containment fences and (b) other electronic training aids for animals.

James Paice: DEFRA has received a variety of correspondence from a range of interested parties on the broad issue of electronic training aids, and in some cases these refer to containment fences.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has had any discussions with her EU counterparts on the implementation of the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Programme for England.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has not had the opportunity to discuss the Bovine TB Eradication Programme for England with EU Commissioners or her counterparts in other member states since its publication on 19 July. She met with Commissioner Dalli on 14 March to discuss bovine TB more generally and in particular the development and use of a cattle vaccine.

Bovine Tuberculosis

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which body will be responsible for supervising, regulating and monitoring the licensing scheme for the badger culling scheme; what financial resources she plans to provide to such an oversight body; under what guidelines it will operate; and whether there will be a charge for licences.

James Paice: Natural England will assess applications, grant and monitor compliance with licences in line with the same principles as it applies to enforcing other wildlife licences. We are working with Natural England to determine the scope and scale of this operation and its associated costs, which would be met by DEFRA. We are currently consulting on draft guidance to Natural England, which sets out in detail how Natural England would exercise its function to issue licences.
	In addition to Natural England monitoring compliance with licence conditions, DEFRA will also commission additional impartial monitoring as described in the consultation document.
	At this stage, we do not envisage charging applicants for badger control licences.

Bovine Tuberculosis

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the licensing scheme for badger culling will require participants to have similar team sizes and training as the teams of staff used in culling areas during the Random Badger Culling Trial.

James Paice: Applicants would be required to meet the criteria set out in the draft Guidance to Natural England on which we are currently consulting. As part of this, applicants would be required to satisfy Natural England that they are able to deliver an effective cull in line with the proposed policy and have arrangements in place to achieve this. This may not be the same as the manpower deployed in the Randomised Badger Culling Trial as during the RBCT only cage-trapping and shooting was used, and culling was carried out over smaller areas of 100 km
	(2)
	.
	As described in the consultation document, operators would be required to undertake badger-specific training to cover anatomical and behavioural characteristics of badgers and how these differ from those of other species, and demonstrate appropriate marksmanship competence.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations her Department has received expressing opposition to a cull of badgers; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: A public consultation on a badger control policy was carried out at the end of 2010, the results of which are available at:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/tb-control-measures/bovinetb-summary-responses-110719.pdf
	We also receive correspondence from organisations and members of the public both expressing their opposition to and support for badger culling.

Common Agricultural Policy

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding the UK will contribute to the Common Agricultural Policy in 2011-12.

James Paice: The UK contributes to the EU Budget as a whole and not to individual spending programmes within it and there is not, therefore, a specific UK contribution to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) expenditure. The UK's share of financing the 2011 EU Budget is currently estimated to be 12.48%, after taking account of the UK abatement. Spending, in Heading 2 (mostly CAP) of the EU Budget in 2011 is currently estimated at €56.379 billion. Agreement has not yet been reached on the 2012 EU Budget.

Common Agricultural Policy

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on reform of the common agricultural policy.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), and I are in regular discussion with EU colleagues over the reform of the CAP, both in the margins of formal and informal meetings of the EU Agriculture Council and in targeted bilaterals. I recently met with Swedish and Danish counterparts, and will shortly be welcoming the Polish Agriculture Minister to London.
	We are committed to working constructively with all EU partners to progress genuine and farsighted reform of the CAP. In a smaller overall budget, future CAP expenditure should tackle the key objectives of encouraging a competitive, sustainable EU agriculture sector able to rise to future challenges and opportunities, including feeding a global population and responding to climate change.

Dogs: Tagging

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representation she has received from local authorities on compulsory microchipping of dogs.

James Paice: 16 local authorities responded to the consultation last year on dangerous dogs legislation, all of which commented on compulsory microchipping of dogs.

Fines

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) fines and (b) other penalties her Department has received from the European Commission as a result of having breached an EU directive in the last five years.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA (or any other UK Government Department) has never received a fine or any other penalty as a result of having breached an EU directive.
	However, as a result primarily of late payments and perceived weaknesses in controls related to the administration by the Rural Payment Agency and other UK paying agencies of common agriculture policy schemes in the UK, a total of around £388 million has been disallowed (ie EU funding of scheme payments has been withheld) over the last five years from 1 September 2006.

Fisheries

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent meetings (a) she and (b) her officials have had with their EU counterparts on reform of the common fisheries policy.

Richard Benyon: As UK Fisheries Minister I regularly meet my EU counterparts to discuss common fisheries policy (CFP) reform. The most recent meeting was the EU Fisheries Council on 19 July 2011.
	My officials also meet their counterparts in other member states regularly to discuss reform of the CFP. Recent meetings include meetings of EU Directors-General for Fisheries as well as bi-laterals with individual EU member states.
	Now that the EU Commission's proposals for reform of the CFP have been published the UK Government will continue to engage with our EU colleagues and others in pressing for genuinely radical reform.

Forests

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made by the working party on the future of public-owned forests.

James Paice: We understand that the Independent Panel on Forestry continues to make good progress. Its public call for views closed on 31 July, to which it had more than 40,000 submitted. Panel members have also begun their programme of visits, enabling them to build up a thorough picture of the vast array of interests and uses of England's forests and woodlands to inform its work. We look forward to reading the panel's progress report, which is due in November, and its findings and advice when it finally reports next year. Latest news about the work of the panel is available on its website.

Government Procurement Card

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) transaction date, (b) transaction amount and (c) supplier was of each transaction undertaken by the Rural Payments Agency using the Government Procurement Card in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10; and which of these transactions attracted level three or enhanced transaction entry.

James Paice: The Rural Payments Agency is unable to provide the information prior to March 2010. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. None of the transactions attracted level three or enhanced transaction entry.

Livestock: Transport

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 721W, on transport: livestock, on how many occasions the vessel identified in the answer has used the port of Ramsgate to transport live farm animals during the last seven months; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: In the last seven months, there have been 13 sailings of the vessel identified transporting live farm animals from Ramsgate port.

Meat

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the effect on human health of consumption of meat from animals raised by healthier methods.

James Paice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), has not had any recent discussions with my the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on this issue.

Pet Travel Scheme: Disease Control

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to prevent (a) echinococus multilocularis and (b) other non-endemic parasites which pose a threat to public health from entering the UK when the revised Pet Travel Scheme comes into force on 1 January 2012.

James Paice: holding answer 7 September 2011
	On tapeworm controls (Echinococus Multilocularis), following representations made by the UK, the European Commission has come forward with a proposal that would enable us to retain tapeworm controls (applying the treatment one to five days before travel). We have decided that the evidence doesn't justify taxpayer funded maintenance of tick controls (although pet owners could choose to do so if they wish as part of wider animal welfare considerations) and we are working with veterinary and welfare organisations to ensure that those travelling with their pets are provided with the necessary advice.
	Other non-endemic parasites posing a serious threat to public health (e.g. Leishmaniasis) are transmitted by insect vectors such as some species of sandfly which are not established in the UK. As such, there is negligible risk of the disease becoming established in the UK and there is no evidence to suggest we should introduce controls now.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office on ensuring that liquid egg is produced from enriched battery cages in the EU from 2012.

James Paice: No direct discussions have been held with the Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) as it deals with checking compliance with legislation that has already been implemented. We continue to press the EU Commission to act and act quickly to bring in additional enforcement measures to protect UK complaint producers. Simply relying on FVO Missions and infraction proceedings against non-compliant member states will not be enough to deal with the commercially negative impact that any non-compliance would cause.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps the Egg Marketing Inspectorate plans to take to trace and report on the origin of imported eggs from enriched battery cages within the EU that do not comply with the provisions of EU directive 1999/74/EC from 2012;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with the Egg Marketing Inspectorate on the resources available to it for the purposes of monitoring the incidence of non-compliant eggs from enriched battery cages in the EU from 2012;
	(3)  what role the Egg Marketing Inspectorate will play in ensuring adherence to changes in cages for laying hens from 1 January 2012.

James Paice: The EMI has been absorbed into the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), which is now responsible for enforcement and checking compliance with EU (welfare and egg marketing) legislation. AHVLA is carrying out inspections of all laying hen premises in the UK to determine producer’s plans for 2012 and the level of conversion to date. We are working with officials in the AHVLA in developing a UK enforcement strategy.
	AHVLA, through its egg marketing inspectors enforce, and check compliance with EU egg marketing legislation, in England and Wales. Eggs from other member states are subject of free trade agreements and therefore cannot be specifically targeted but checks are made on imported eggs as part of AHVLAs normal compliance inspection regime. AHLVA is responsible for checking imports of shell eggs from third countries. This is done at the point of entry.

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with representatives of Trading Standards on steps to ensure that egg in liquid form is scrutinised by Trading Standards officers following the phasing out of the keeping of laying hens in conventional cages.

James Paice: Representatives of Trading Standards are assisting us with drawing up a UK enforcement strategy to cover UK egg production and imports from other member states. We will also be discussing our strategy with the industry and retailers.

Regional Veterinary Laboratory

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the future of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory at Thirsk.

James Paice: The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has carried out a review of its laboratory services work, how it is organised and where it is located. The review looked at how we can achieve the best value for money, while maintaining high standards of quality and safety in service provision. In coming up with its recommendations, the review considered the scientific, technical and logistical aspects of reorganising lab services.
	AHVLA are in the process of obtaining approval for them from DEFRA. AHVLA intend to retain laboratory services workgroups at eight sites compared to 14 at present. The proposal recommended that laboratory service work at Thirsk will cease by the end of March 2012. Work from Thirsk would be transferred to the eight continuing workgroups.
	These changes do not imply or rely on site closures to generate savings. Just because a site will no longer carry out lab testing, it does not mean that it is at risk of closure. AHVLA is planning a complete review of estates post merger and will identify which sites are the best ones for them to use for service delivery in the future. AHVLA will make an announcement on this at the end of October.

Regional Veterinary Laboratory

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) laboratory tests and (b) post mortems are carried out (i) per week and (ii) annually in (A) the Thirsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory and (B) the Newcastle Regional Veterinary Laboratory.

James Paice: Post-mortem examinations at the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency's (AHVLA) regional veterinary laboratories are usually conducted at the request of a private veterinary surgeon. He or she may choose to submit one or more carcass from an incident of disease on a holding. It is not unusual for several poultry carcasses to be submitted, while for cattle, single carcasses are typical.
	For the period from 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011, 141 carcasses were submitted to the Newcastle Regional Veterinary Laboratory. This is an average weekly throughput of approximately three carcasses. In the same period, 963 carcasses were submitted to the Thirsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory. This is an average weekly throughput of approximately 18 carcasses.
	For the period from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2011, 176,913 tests were conducted by the Newcastle Regional Veterinary Laboratory, an average of 3,402 per week. For the same period, 18,359 tests were conducted by the Thirsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory, an average of 353 per week.

Regional Veterinary Laboratory

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) vets, (b) general laboratory staff and (c) trained bacteriology staff currently work at (i) the Thirsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory and (ii) the Newcastle Regional Veterinary Laboratory.

James Paice: There is currently one vet based in the Newcastle Regional Veterinary Laboratory. There are currently six vets based in the Thirsk Regional Veterinary Laboratory.
	There were 24 lab staff in post on 1 September 2011 at Newcastle, of whom 22 are full-time and two are part-time. Of these, seven are trained bacteriology staff.
	There were 14 lab staff in post on 1 September 2011 at Thirsk, of whom eight are full-time (one of whom is on fixed term appointment which ends on 6 December 2011) and six are part-time. Of these, eight are trained bacteriology staff.

Waste Disposal

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her decision to allow local authorities to undertake commercial waste collections free of VAT includes subcontractual work in which private waste disposal companies work on behalf of local authorities.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The issue is not one of competition law, but instead one of VAT law. As such, this was an operational matter and the decision was made by HMRC officials in response to a legal challenge against the taxation of local authority commercial waste collection services. Because of this, it was not possible to consult more widely.
	The Environmental Services Association have made representations to HMRC and there is ongoing dialogue about the VAT treatment of commercial waste collection.

Water White Paper

George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date the Water White Paper will be published.

Richard Benyon: The Water White Paper will be published by December 2011.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Chapel of St Mary Undercroft

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, which postholder authorises access to the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster; and what the criteria are for access to the Chapel for hon. Members accompanied by guests.

John Thurso: The postholder who authorises access to the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft is Black Rod in the House of Lords on behalf of the Lord Great Chamberlain, in conjunction with the Dean of Westminster.
	The criteria for access to the Chapel are as follows:
	As the Chapel is primarily a place of worship, services, rehearsals and other authorised events should not be disrupted by visitors. Similarly individuals who use the chapel for private prayer and contemplation should not be unduly disturbed by tours.
	The number of visitors in a group should be consistent with the number of visitors (up to a maximum of six) who a Member, or full grey, red or green staff pass-holder, of either House may conduct on a private tour within the Palace of Westminster.
	The size and number of visiting groups should be regulated in accordance with safety considerations to take account of the narrow access, layout of the chapel and lack of emergency exits (when the Chapel is not being used for an event).

Electric Vehicles

John Spellar: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent progress the House of Commons Commission has made in installing charging points for electric or hybrid cars.

John Thurso: The situation remains as it was in the answer to the right hon. Member for Warley (Mr Spellar), of 2 February 2011, Official Report, column 783W, when the Commission confirmed the installation of two charging points. The House authorities will continue to keep this under review.

Parliament: Police

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, which postholder is responsible for setting criteria for the selection of police officers on duty in the Palace of Westminster.

John Thurso: Police officers are employees of the Metropolitan Police Service; the chief superintendent is responsible for setting the criteria for the selection of police officers on duty in the Palace of Westminster.

Pay

Hugh Bayley: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission how much the House of Commons Commission paid to each contractor contracted to provide services to the House in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2010-11.

John Thurso: The House's financial systems are designed primarily to record the cost of particular services, activities and projects, rather than how these are delivered, and separately identifying payments to each of the House's many contractors for three financial years would involve disproportionate cost. We are introducing improvements to the system next year which will enable us to prepare more detailed reports in future and analyse costs in different ways, and we are planning to publish information on payments to suppliers over £25,000 later this year.

Pay

Hugh Bayley: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 2W, on pay, how many full-time equivalent information and communications technology staff were employed by the House of Commons service immediately prior to the creation of the Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology department (PICT); how many are now employed by PICT; and how many of these were paid more in salaries, overtime and performance awards than a backbench hon. Member in the latest year for which figures are available.

John Thurso: Prior to the creation of Parliamentary ICT (PICT) as a department of the House of Commons Service in January 2006 (in preparation for formal constitution as a joint department), parliamentary ICT services, and related management and administrative functions, were provided in a variety of ways across the departments and offices of both Houses, including by staff employed by the House of Commons to provide services to both Houses (for instance, the Parliamentary Communications Directorate and the Information Architecture Strategy Unit) and a number of programmes.
	In January 2006, the shadow PICT department inherited responsibility for 161 permanent staff (including some part-timers and staff seconded from the House of Lords), and 48 vacant posts, making a total requirement of 209. Vacancies were initially filled by contractors.
	As set out on PICT's 2010-11 annual report, 221 staff were employed by the department in core roles. In addition, there were 104 staff employed specifically on Parliament's portfolio of business-led programmes and projects. In both instances these numbers include staff in a range of management, administrative and other roles as well as those with technical qualifications and responsibilities. The majority of programme appointments are on a fixed term basis.
	The salary of an hon. Member in 2010-11 was £65,738. Six PICT staff were paid more than this figure in 2010-11.
	The House of Commons shares the core funding of PICT with the House of Lords on an 80/20 basis.

Roads

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission which postholder was responsible for the authorisation of works in Bridge street, Westminster; what the timetable is for completion; and what the expected cost to the public purse is of the works.

John Thurso: The works in Bridge street are part of a project to provide improved security around the Northern Estate. It is being implemented by Westminster city council with funding by both Houses of Parliament. The project was endorsed by the Joint Committee on Security, and follows similar work elsewhere in Whitehall. Business case approval was given by officials in accordance with established procedures. The cost for the whole project was capped at £5.7 million, and the current forecast is within this limit. Works in Bridge street are due to be completed by the end of this year; however, the contractor is examining ways to finish sooner than this.
	Decisions on the authorisations of works are made under delegations given by the House of Commons Commission, and in line with criteria set by Member committees where appropriate. It is not the Commission's practice to publish names of individual staff who took particular decisions.

PRIME MINISTER

Libya

Kevan Jones: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral statement of 5 September 2011, Official Report, columns 23-26, on Libya 
	(1)  how long he expects the lessons learned exercise in respect of the Libyan intervention led by Sir Peter Ricketts to take; and when he expects it to report;
	(2)  what the scope is expected to be of the lessons learned exercise in respect of the Libyan intervention led by Sir Peter Ricketts; and whether it will include an analysis of the adequacy of military equipment;
	(3)  when he expects the lessons learned exercise in respect of the Libyan intervention led by Sir Peter Ricketts to begin; and how much he expects the exercise to cost.

David Cameron: As announced in the House on 5 September 2011, Official Report, columns 28-29, the National Security Adviser is leading a study into the lessons learnt about how the new central co-ordination mechanisms around the National Security Council have operated during the Libya crisis. The length of time it takes will obviously depend on when the military operations end. Costs are expected to be met from within existing departmental resources. The House will be informed of the conclusions from the National Security Adviser's study.

EDUCATION

Advisory Centre for Education: Finance

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has provided to the Advisory Centre for Education in each of the last three years; and what plans he has to fund the centre in (a) 2011-12 and (b) future years.

Sarah Teather: From 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011, the Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) received the following funding from the Department:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2008-09 861,142.83 
			 2009-10 610,144.80 
			 2010-11 502,094.00 
		
	
	In 2011-12, the Department has extended the grant to ACE and allocated £219,843 over April to September 2011.
	ACE took part in a competitive procurement exercise to award new contracts for online and telephone family support services. Unfortunately, ACE’s bid was not as strong as others and the Department was not able to award a contract to them. Nearly 40 organisations submitted expressions of interest for contracts to operate family support services and these were predominantly from charities. We are not able to fund all the organisations that submitted bids.
	The Advisory Centre for Education will be able to apply for any future grants and contracts opportunities that are advertised by the Department if it feels it meets the relevant criteria.

Children in Care

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many care placements have been terminated by local authorities for those aged 16 in each of the last five years; and what the duration of their final placement was up to the date of its termination in each such case.

Tim Loughton: Information on the number of children aged 16 years who ceased to be looked after during the years ending 31 March 2006 to 2010 and the duration of their final placement is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Children aged 16 years who ceased to be looked after during the years ending 31 March by duration of final placement  (1, 2, 3)  , y  ears ending 31 March 2006  -  10  , c  overage: England 
			 Number 
			  2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 All children who ceased to be looked after aged 16 2,290 2,160 2,080 1,920 1,900 
			       
			 Duration of final placement      
			 Under 2 weeks 330 320 300 340 310 
			 From 2 weeks to under 8 weeks 380 380 390 330 390 
			 From 8 weeks to under 6 months 620 550 550 510 490 
			 From 6 months to under 1 year 410 400 350 330 330 
		
	
	
		
			 From 1 year to under 2 years 340 320 300 240 230 
			 From 2 years to under 3 years 110 90 90 80 80 
			 From 3 years to under 5 years 60 60 60 50 30 
			 From 5 years to under 10 years 40 40 40 30 30 
			 10 years and over 10 (4)— 10 10 10 
			 (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Only the last occasion on which a child ceased to be looked after in the year has been counted. (3) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. (4) Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. Source: SSDA 903

Children: Autism

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what training school staff receive on identifying signs of autism; and what requirements there are on such staff to work with local NHS services to refer children for assessment and diagnosis;
	(2)  whether the scholarship scheme for teachers and support staff will include scholarships on autism; and whether he plans to establish incentives for teachers and teaching assistants to undertake scholarships.

Sarah Teather: Decisions about in-service training for school staff are matters for schools, taken in light of the training needs of the schools. The Department has previously provided in-service training materials on autism and is currently funding the Autism Education Trust to develop a competency framework for staff working with children with autism and to provide training for some 5,000 staff.
	The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has provided units on autism within a comprehensive training pack for the providers of initial teacher training and induction. These are freely available. The TDA is currently developing materials for advanced-level continuous professional development, including materials on autism. The special educational needs (SEN) and disability Green Paper made a commitment to help local networks of schools to develop teachers with specialist skills and knowledge, including specialist autism skills, who can be deployed across local clusters of schools.
	The SEN Code of Practice, which schools must take into account when they are providing for children with SEN, advises schools, with the informed consent of and involvement of the child's parents, to consult the school health service or the child's general practitioner about whether a medical condition may be contributing to the child's difficulties in school.
	The National Scholarship Fund for Teachers is seeking applications from serving teachers by 30 September. We anticipate that around half of the estimated 600 Scholarships in the first round will be awarded for qualifications in special educational needs, which could include studies in autism. In the Green Paper we announce that we would be launching an additional fund, open to the most able teaching assistants and other support staff, to enable them to build on their special educational needs support roles and develop their careers further. We will be working with the Training and Development Agency for Schools on the development of such scholarships.

Children: Daycare

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of reductions in funding allocated by central Government on the provision of summer holiday child care activities in Coventry;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that local authorities fulfil their obligations under the Childcare Act 2006 in respect of holiday child care; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of provision of child care places for (a) disabled children and (b) children over 12 years of age in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 8 September 2011
	Local authorities have a duty (under section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006) to ensure that there is sufficient child care locally to meet the needs of working parents and particularly families with disabled children. We want to improve the way in which local authorities keep parents informed about what they are doing to deliver this duty. The Government announced in the “Families in the Foundation Years” statement, published in July 2011, the intention to bring forward proposals that local authorities should report annually on their section 6 sufficiency duty, and in particular how they are supporting families of children with disabilities to access child care, available at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/early
	Local authorities have told us that the requirement (under section 11 of the Childcare Act 2006) to publish nationally prescribed sufficiency assessments every three years is burdensome. The Government consider that a local annual report would be a more effective way of enabling parents to hold their local authority to account. The Government have therefore also decided to consult on bringing forward legislation to repeal the section 11 duty. This consultation will be published on the Department for Education’s website later in the autumn.
	Although there is no specific funding allocated to local authorities for the provision of holiday child care, there is enough flexibility in the early intervention grant for local authorities to fund these requirements, if they consider there is sufficient demand.

Children’s Centres

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of Sure Start children's centres provided full-time childcare places in April (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010 and (d) 2011.

Sarah Teather: The Department for Education collects data on how many Sure Start Children's Centres provide full day care provision on site through the annual Childcare and Early Years Provider survey. The survey does not assess how many children's centres provide full day care at a separate site in partnership with a nearby childcare provider. Data from the 2008 and 2009 surveys show:
	
		
			  Number of Sure Start Children's Centres providing full day care provision on site  (1) Proportion of children's centres providing full day care provision on site  (2)   (percentage) 
			 2008 1,000 35 
			 2009 1,000 35 
			 (1) These figures are rounded to the nearest 100. The data are estimates; they are weighted and grossed up to the total number of active providers in England to ensure the figures are representative of providers throughout England. These grossed up figures are not exact and are subject to margins of error. (2) Percentages are rounded up to nearest whole number. The number of children's centres between the 2008 and 2009 surveys remained unchanged at around 2,900 centres. Therefore, the proportion of children's centres offering full day care remained stable. 
		
	
	The 2010 Childcare and Early Years Provider survey will be published on 28 September 2011.

Children’s Centres: Tower Hamlets

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding he allocated to Sure Start children's centres in the London borough of Tower Hamlets in each year since 2005-06.

Sarah Teather: The funding allocated to the London borough of Tower Hamlets, as part of the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant, for Sure Start Children's Centres from 2005-06 to 2010-11 is shown in Table 1. From April 2011, funding for Sure Start Children's Centres is included within the Early Intervention Grant (EIG) and is set out in Table 2.
	The EIG is an un-ring-fenced and un-hypothecated funding stream that gives local authorities greater flexibility to target resources strategically and to intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. It is up to local authorities to judge how best to use this funding for their local communities, taking account of local need and evidence of what is most effective.
	
		
			 Table 1: Children's Centres and SSLP allocations for London borough of Tower Hamlets 
			 £ 
			  Children's   centres revenue Children's   centres capital SSLP   revenue Total 
			 2004-06(1) 1,443,554 4,516,134 10,546,287 16,505,975 
			 2006-07(2) 3,145,772 1,639,667 5,165,883 9,951,322 
			 2007-08(2) 3,173,775 3,254,853 4,391,349 10,819,977 
			 2008-09 6,094,142 352,515 4,411,051 10,857,708 
			 2009-10 7,886,930 723,330 3,745,484 12,355,744 
		
	
	
		
			 2010-11 8,833,202 458,852 3,343,488 12,635,542 
			 (1) Local authorities received a two year allocation for 2004-06. (2) The 2006-07 and 2007-08 capital allocations are for the wider Main Capital Block. The Block included funding for child care sustainability and extended schools as well as for Children's Centres in 2006-07 and 2007-08. From 2008-09 the block comprised funding for Children's Centres, early years provision, child care and integrated projects (those which support more than one policy objective). 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2  :   Early Intervention Grant for London borough of Tower Hamlets 
			 £ 
			  Early Intervention Grant Total 
			 2011-12 20,870,367 20,870,367

Drugs: Misuse

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the compliance of drug addiction treatment for young people in secure estate and care homes with NHS guidelines.

Sarah Teather: The national specification for substance misuse available via
	http://yjbpublications.justice.gov.uk/Scripts/prodView.asp? idproduct=443&eP
	sets out the guidelines for young people in the secure estate. Compliance with the national specification was monitored by the Youth Justice Board up until March 2011 as part of their broader performance management arrangements. Responsibility for substance misuse services within the secure estate has now transferred to the Department for Health.
	Looked after children placed in children's homes should have access to the full range of support for drug and alcohol misuse provided by the local young people's substance misuse services.
	Young people's specialist substance misuse services are monitored through the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). In 2009-10, 4% of young people accessing specialist drug and alcohol services were identified as looked after children. Information on performance, including speed of access to services, and successful completions is published annually by the NTA.

Health Services

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the same weight and accountability criteria are to apply to the (a) health and social care and (b) education elements of the proposed educational, health and care plan.

Sarah Teather: The reforms I have proposed to the special educational needs system in England include the proposal to introduce a new single Education, Health and Care plan. The plan will be clear about who is responsible for which services, and will include a commitment from all parties across education, health and social care to provide their services.
	The reforms will be tested by pathfinder areas. Local authorities, in close partnership with their local PCT clusters, have been invited to apply for pathfinder status. Pathfinders have been asked to test ways to ensure accountability across education, health and social care.

Pre-school Education

Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to increase the power of local authorities to provide tailored and flexible pre-school services to reflect local needs.

Sarah Teather: Through the Early Intervention Grant (EIG), local authorities have the freedom and flexibility to target resources strategically and to intervene early to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. The EIG enables the provision of pre-school services, such as children's centres, to be tailored to best meet the needs of local communities, taking account of evidence of what is most effective. The free entitlement for three and four-year-olds gives parents the offer of 15 hours of free early education for their child, which can be used flexibly.

Special Educational Needs

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to ensure all pupils with special educational needs who require specialist support have access to such support; and what plans he has for the funding of such support.

Sarah Teather: Schools and local authorities have duties to identify children with special educational needs (SEN) and arrange the provision a child's learning difficulties call for, including specialist provision where that is necessary to meet needs.
	In February, the Department wrote to all local authorities in England saying that there would be no recoupment of funds for SEN support services for the 2011-12 financial year as a consequence of the increasing number of schools converting to Academy status. Arrangements for future years are the subject of the wider review of school and Academy funding.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of changes proposed by the EU to flight time limitations.

Theresa Villiers: The European Aviation Safety Agency consulted on draft implementing rules on flight time limitations earlier this year. The Civil Aviation Authority considers that the proposed requirements have many positive aspects but it has indentified three issues which need to be addressed before we could accept the proposals. We have made these points in our response to the consultation. EASA are in the process of reviewing the responses to consultation and will be issuing an amended proposal in due course.

Bus Services

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the (a) number of passengers and (b) percentage change in bus usage in (i) York and (ii) England in the last five years.

Norman Baker: The latest information on bus statistics in Great Britain can be found on the Department website at the following address:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/series/buses/
	The charts found at the following addresses indicate number of passenger journeys in England and in York over the least five years:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/bus0108
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/bus0109
	These indicate that the number of bus passenger journeys increased by 2% in York and by 13% in England (including London) between 2005-06 and 2009-10, the latest year for which we have annual statistics.

Bus Services: Theft

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to work with coach operators to reduce the level of theft on coaches.

Norman Baker: holding answer 8 September 2011
	Incidents of theft on coaches are a matter for the coach company and an operational matter for the relevant police force concerned. Any compensation arrangements in place for loss or damage to luggage during a journey are a matter for the coach operator.

Departmental Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the value of estimated tax receipts, calculated in accordance with the Green Book, in each public sector economic assessment of private finance initiative projects in procurement by his Department as of March 2011.

Norman Baker: When carrying out an appraisal of a project or policy, the Green Book sets out options that should be adjusted for material differences in tax. Differences in tax receipts between PFI and conventionally funded projects are considered as part of HM Treasury's Value for Money model which is run by the Department for each PFI project at the appraisal stage. The output of the model is one source of information that is used to inform the overall value for money assessment of the project.
	For those projects in procurement in March 2011 the percentage by which the public sector comparator is uplifted to reflect the additional tax take that accrues to the Government from the private finance option is given as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 Cambridgeshire Street Lighting 4 
			 Croydon and Lewisham Street Lighting 4 
		
	
	
		
			 Knowsley Street Lighting 6 
			 Northamptonshire Street Lighting 4 
			 Oldham Street Lighting 4 
			 Rochdale Street Lighting 4 
			 Hounslow Highway Maintenance 4 
			 Isle of Wight Highway Maintenance 6 
			 Sheffield Highway Maintenance 6 
			 Nottingham Express Transit Extension 8 
		
	
	These figures are for outline business cases at the pre-market appraisal stage and therefore are not used to assess tax takes from specific PFI providers after contracts have been signed.

Departmental Work Experience

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) persons undertaking unpaid work experience, (b) unpaid interns and (c) other persons in unpaid positions were working in his Department as of 1 July 2011.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not currently collect data on people undertaking paid or unpaid work experience. However, as part of the civil service wide 'Get Britain Working' programme, the Department has made a pledge to offer 1,000 Work Placements over the coming year. These will take place across all agencies and the central Department. Each placement will be two weeks in length and will be offered to jobseeker’s allowance customers aged 18 to 24. Eligible individuals will be those whose limited experience of work is acting as a barrier to employment. Although these placements will be unpaid in terms of departmental funds, candidates will still be in receipt of their benefits while in post. Any additional travel required as part of the candidate's placement (e.g. to and from the Business Skills Workshops) will be organised and paid for by the Department. Any additional travel required as part of the placements (e.g. to Business Skills Workshops) will be organised and paid for by the Department.

Driving: Offences

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to make it a driving offence for a motorist to interrupt the line of vehicles included in a funeral cortege; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: We have no current plans for a new specific driving offence related to the interruption of a line of vehicles within a funeral cortege.
	Existing offences, for example related to careless and inconsiderate driving, are relevant to so-called 'road rage' and other aggressive driving in the vicinity of funeral corteges. An additional specific offence would be unlikely to assist penalising the worst examples of poor driving behaviour.
	We are progressing plans to enable the police to enforce against careless and inconsiderate driving more efficiently.

Driving: Standards

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will confirm the level of funding from the public purse for the 2011 Smarter Driving Programme.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport will provide up to £420,000 of funding in 2011-12 for this programme. Government funding will be matched by broadly equivalent funding paid by the businesses taking part in the programme.

East Coast Railway Line: Standards

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what delays to passenger rail services on the East Coast Main Line have been recorded in each of the last six months.

Norman Baker: For the whole of East Coast, delay minutes and public performance measure (PPM) for the past six rail periods requested were attributed as follows:
	
		
			 2011 
			 Rail   p  eriods East Coast delay minutes (period) East Coast delay minutes (MAA) East Coast PPM (period) (percentage) East Coast PPM (MAA) (percentage) 
			 March 23,619 28,261 85.7 83.3 
			 April 26,536 28,391 86.6 83.3 
			 May 23,379 28,567 86.1 83.1 
			 May/June 25,034 28,980 88.5 83.2 
			 June/July 37,952 29,993 81.9 83.0 
			 July/August 24,587 30,122 89.2 83.3

Great Western Railway

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether he plans to introduce new rolling stock on the Great Western mainline west of Plymouth in the next four years;
	(2)  when he expects to announce whether the proposed fleet of future Intercity Express trains will terminate at Exeter or serve Cornwall.

Theresa Villiers: The Government are committed to a less prescriptive approach to the specification of rail franchises, with decisions such as rolling stock provision devolved primarily to franchise operators.
	The current Great Western franchise will terminate in April 2013, and as part of the specification of the new franchise, we will consult on the level of services the new franchise should offer. This is likely to include opportunities for franchise bidders to deploy new trains.

Network Rail

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the McNulty Rail Value for Money study of May 2011, whether he plans to retain the existing Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.

Theresa Villiers: The Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA) is a rail industry agreement overseen by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC). It would be for ATOC to propose any changes to the agreement for the Secretary of State's approval.
	ATOC has indicated that it is considering bringing forward significant changes to the agreement. The Government will consider any such proposals carefully, bearing in mind all relevant matters including the recommendations of the rail value for money study.
	Government are currently considering the recommendations of the rail value for money study, but no decisions have yet been taken.

Railways

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to providing funding for a railway line to link Reading with Norwich and Ipswich via Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has indicated to the promoters of the scheme that funding for re-instating the railway line between Bicester and Bletchley will be considered during the development of the High Level Output Specification which is due to be published in July 2012. The Specification will set out rail investment requirements for the period between 2014 and 2019. The scheme has the potential to link Reading with Bedford and Milton Keynes via Oxford.

Rescue Services

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the number of jobs sponsored by his Department in an area was among the original criteria used to identify the best location for retention of maritime rescue coordination centres as part of the coastguard reform process.

Michael Penning: The MCA published a location matrix and impact assessment setting out the rationale for the proposed choice of sub-centres to support the consultation document published on 16 December. This can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/8.location_impact_assessment_and_sub-centre_rationale_v3.pdf
	This assessment identified a range of practical factors around collocation of other activities, security of tenure and reinstatement costs if a site were vacated that provided a basis for choices between locations.
	Further investigation of the factors surrounding Milford Haven and Swansea revealed that, contrary to the original assessment, the reinstatement obligations at Swansea do not provide the strong financial grounds for retaining this site rather than Milford Haven. There are also no other practical or operational reasons to favour either location. In these circumstances, we have also taken into account the Department for Transport's substantial wider presence in Swansea with both the DVLA and our Shared Services Centre located there and we have concluded that it is more appropriate to retain the Coastguard centre and Coastguard jobs at Milford Haven.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department made of the effects on the (a) rolling stock leasing and (b) rolling stock maintenance market in the awarding of a preferred bidder for the Thameslink rolling stock contract. [R]

Theresa Villiers: The Thameslink rolling stock invitation to tender evaluation criteria and process for the selection of a preferred bidder did not include provisions relating to an assessment of the effects the selection of a preferred bidder would have on the rolling stock leasing and rolling stock maintenance markets.
	However, when developing the invitation to tender structure the Department and its advisers considered the options for the financing and maintenance of the new Thameslink rolling stock.
	The Department considered that the scale of the total capital funding requirement, circa £2 billion, was beyond the capacity of the existing UK rolling stock leasing organisations, i.e. the ROSCOs. Consequently the Department included requirements for financing which, while including the ROSCOs as a potential source of funds, allowed a wider funding group to participate in the Thameslink competition. Ultimately this may lead to a more competitive train leasing market in the UK through the introduction of new funders.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the existing (a) managerial and supervisory and (b) technical train maintenance staff employed by First Capital Connect he expects to be transferred to Siemens under the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project.

Theresa Villiers: Assuming a successful conclusions of contractual negotiations, it will be responsibility of the Thameslink train operator and Siemens to ensure that there are sufficient staff to enable the new and existing trains to be maintained and operated safely at all times.
	Siemens will be required to co-operate with the Thameslink train operator during the period of new train introduction to achieve a managed transition of maintenance responsibility during this period.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 718W, on Thameslink railway line: rolling stock, what the reasons were for the time taken between his endorsement of the recommendation and the announcement of the preferred bidder for the Thameslink Rolling Stock Project.

Theresa Villiers: It is standard practice for a number of internal processes to be worked through before an announcement is made. This was a significant announcement that other Government Departments needed to be fully aware of before it was announced. Given the significance of this announcement it clearly would not have been appropriate to make it during the parliamentary Whitsun recess, which added further to the delay.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what criteria he considered pertinent when allocating funding to (a) Berkshire, (b) Oxfordshire and (c) Buckinghamshire for extending broadband to rural areas.

Edward Vaizey: The criteria used to determine the funding allocations for Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire were the same criteria used in the assessment of all other allocations. An explanatory note outlining the criteria used is available on the Broadband Delivery UK pages of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/BDUK-Data-Model-Expalantory-Notes.pdf

Departmental Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will publish the value of estimated tax receipts, calculated in accordance with the Green Book, in each public sector economic assessment of all private finance initiative projects in procurement by his Department as of March 2011.

John Penrose: This Department has no private finance initiative projects of its own, and therefore no tax receipts to be estimated.

Gambling

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to enforce the Government's proposals for changes to remote gambling laws following their implementation.

John Penrose: The proposed reforms will mean operators based overseas who wish to sell into the British market will require a Gambling Commission licence.
	We are currently working with the Commission and other stakeholders on the detailed arrangements of the new regime and we expect to retain enforcement powers equivalent to those already in place under the Gambling Act 2005.

Sports

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of how the Department might contribute in the future development of the sport of indoor bowls.

Hugh Robertson: No formal assessment has been made by this Department. However, its arm's length body Sport England currently funds the Bowls Development Alliance (BDA) to increase participation in Indoor Bowls for the over 65s and to improve satisfaction levels throughout the sport. They also run two initiatives to introduce people to the sport and offer four weeks of free coaching to new participants: Have Mat Will Travel and Bowls4Free.

Tourism: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much he allocated for tourism promotion in Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 1996-97.

John Penrose: Yorkshire Forward has been the regional development agency (RDA) responsible for supporting tourism in Yorkshire and the Humber. Prior to 2003, the Yorkshire Tourist Board held this responsibility and figures held by region are not available centrally.
	Yorkshire Forward has indicated that the following amounts were allocated for supporting tourism in the region from 2003 (obtained from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills):
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2003-04 0.6 
			 2004-05 1.7 
			 2005-06 2.3 
			 2006-07 3.9 
			 2007-08 6.0 
			 2008-09 8.0 
			 2009-10 8.0 
			 2010-11 7.0 
		
	
	VisitBritain and VisitEngland have additionally marketed Britain overseas and England within the UK and to selected overseas markets. This investment is not apportioned on a regional or area-specific basis and it is not possible to disaggregate a specific Yorkshire and Humber spend, but the area is an important asset in our overall offer and receives significant coverage in national marketing campaigns.
	The hon. Member may wish to write to the chief executive of Yorkshire Forward to inquire if the regional development agency holds records for the period prior to 2003.

UK Film Council

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which films received funding from the UK Film Council in the last five years; how much funding was awarded in each case; under what terms funding was provided in each case; and in what circumstances the UK Film Council did not require that funding to be repaid.

Edward Vaizey: All films that received funding from the UK Film Council (UKFC) over the past five years—and the amount of funding each film received—are published in the annual report and accounts, all of which have been formally laid in parliament, and can be found using the link:
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/scripts/semaphore/official_documents/semaphoreserver.exe?SAVEDB=OPSI-Official_Documents&STYPE=simple&Method=simple&CMD= search.run&ORGANISE_CODED=%3A&B-TPDF& QUERY00=UKFC
	or by visiting the UKFC website:
	http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/publications?page= 1&step=10&viewby=category&value=17010
	The general terms and conditions of this funding were published on the UKFC website as part of the guidelines. The specific terms under which individual films were funded are subject to commercial confidentiality as there were other funders and financiers involved. The funding for feature film development and production was provided as a recoupable grant and there were no circumstances in which the UKFC waived the right to be repaid.
	The terms and conditions for the Film Fund can now be found on the BFI website at:
	http://www.bfi.org.uk/about/funding/downloads/BFI-Film-Fund-Terms.pdf

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Business Committee

Peter Bone: To ask the Leader of the House when he expects to establish a House Business Committee.

George Young: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave during oral questions on 8 September 2011, Official Report, column 546. As set out in the coalition agreement, the Government are committed to establishing a House Business Committee in 2013.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish the value of estimated tax receipts, calculated in accordance with the Green Book, in each public sector economic assessment of private finance initiative projects in procurement by his Department as of March 2011.

Bob Neill: The Department itself has no private finance initiative projects in procurement.
	However the Department does sponsor a number of housing, fire and joint service centre private finance initiative projects that are being procured by local authorities and fire and resilience authorities.
	Details of tax payable estimates for sponsored private finance initiative projects will be contained in project specific documents held by individual local authorities and fire and resilience authorities and which are submitted to the Department at key procurement stages. This information is not currently collated or held on a database though by the Department.
	At 31 March 2011 there were 12 housing, two fire and three joint service centre private finance initiative projects in procurement.

Empty Property: Berkshire

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has estimated the number of empty homes in (a) Berkshire, (b) Reading and (c) Reading West constituency.

Grant Shapps: According to council tax data as at 4 October 2010 there were (a) 8,246 empty homes in Berkshire, of which 3,182 were classed as long-term empty; and (b) 1,929 empty homes in Reading, of which 610 were classed as long-term empty. Homes classed as long-term empty are those dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for over six months. Figures are not available on a constituency basis.
	Figures on empty homes by local authority district are available on the Department for Communities and Local Government website in live table 615 at the following link:
	www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/stockincludingvacants/livetables/
	We have put in place powerful tools and incentives to support local communities to tackle empty homes. Through the New Homes Bonus, communities will receive a direct financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use. We are also investing £100 million through the Affordable Home Programme to tackle empty homes directly.

Enterprise Zones

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria were used to assess bids in the Round 2 bidding process for local enterprise zones.

Greg Clark: holding answer 9 September 2011
	The Government assessed how bids for enterprise zones would best deliver local growth and jobs. As set out in the guidance published on 27 May, the assessment of bids focused on three criteria: the extent to which the bid would deliver growth; the value for the money of the bid; and if the plans for delivery were robust.

Housing: Graduates

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the number of UK graduates who have purchased a home in the last 15 years.

Grant Shapps: In England, there are an estimated 1.8 million home owners out of the 3.5 million people who have graduated in the last 15 years.
	Source:
	English Housing Survey, 2009-10

Local Government: Expenditure

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he has taken to ensure that local councils abide by his Department's guidelines for redacting figures when publishing expenditure of £500 or more.

Bob Neill: The Department has not produced guidelines for councils on redacting figures when publishing expenditure of £500 or more. Following public consultation earlier this year, the Department will shortly publish a Code of Recommended Practice, setting out the principles and minimum standards that authorities should follow when publishing data. Local authorities must not release data if that would contravene the Data Protection Act 1998 or section 100A(2) LGA 1972. Additional guidelines produced by the sector can be viewed at this link:
	http://lgtransparency.readandcomment.com/

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on support for families affected by the murder of a British national abroad.

Alistair Burt: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials have had discussions with officials at the Ministry of Justice to ensure that we can provide the best possible support for families bereaved by a murder abroad. The FCO is also represented on the Homicide Service Implementation Group, which oversees the work of the Victim Support National Homicide Service.

British Nationals Abroad: Homicide

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) the Council of Europe, (b) the EU and (c) other governments on the services and support available to families of British nationals murdered overseas.

Alistair Burt: The UK has opted in to the proposed EU directive establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and is participating in the negotiations on the directive. We welcome the proposed directive, which will benefit UK citizens who are victims in other EU member states. They will be afforded minimum rights, support and protection to a level similar to that they would receive as a victim of crime in the UK. The directive will allow UK citizens to move throughout the EU with confidence that should they fall victim to crime in any member state, their rights will be respected when participating in criminal proceedings and they will be able to access a minimum level of support across the EU.

Diplomatic Service: Internet

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the use of UK embassy websites to campaign on issues within their host nations.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a network of over 250 embassy websites with content in over 40 languages. Their purpose is to showcase and support the work of British embassies abroad, share key information with the public, and to play a role in the delivery of FCO and posts' objectives, including policy goals. Their audiences range from British citizens abroad to visitors wishing to travel to the UK, to opinion formers and influencers in their host countries.

India

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the situation of the Adivasi peoples in central India.

Alistair Burt: We have not discussed the situation of the Adivasi with the Indian Government. However, we regularly discuss human rights issues, including minority rights, with the Indian Government both bilaterally and through the EU-India Human Rights Dialogue. In addition, our high commission in Delhi also has regular meetings with the National Commission for Minorities and Indian Minorities Minister Salman Khursheed.

Iraq: Kurds

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on military incursions by Turkey and Iran into the Kurdistan region of Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We received reports of Turkish airstrikes and artillery barrages in August targeting the terrorist group PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), and in July of Iranian shelling and an incursion to attack PJAK (Free Life Party of Kurdistan) bases. The Kurdistan Regional Government has appealed for a cessation to all hostilities and for the PKK as well as the PJAK to lay down their weapons.
	We take attacks across borders seriously and pay close attention to the circumstances in which they occur. We call for cooperation with the Governments of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region over the threat in the border areas, and have expressed our concern about indiscriminate Iranian shelling.

Libya

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports of allegations of abuses perpetrated by the forces of (a) the former Government of Libya and (b) the Transitional National Council; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Government have made clear that all those committing human rights abuses and atrocities in Libya must be brought to justice. The UK led the drive for referral of the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court in UN Security Council Resolution 1970 and called for a special session of the Human Rights Council which set up the Commission of Inquiry into Libya. The Commission reported systematic abuse of civilians, including evidence of excessive use of force, a pattern of enforced disappearances, and deliberate destruction and attacks on medical transports and facilities by Gaddafi forces. These are clear demonstrations of the former Gaddafi regime's disregard for international law.
	The UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry first report in June 2011 also found that there were some instances of human right abuses levelled against the then opposition fighters, although it concluded that these were not part of a widespread or systematic attack against civilians.
	Since then, the National Transitional Council (NTC) has continued to voice its commitment to International Humanitarian and Human Rights law, and has stated its intent to fully implement the Commission's report recommendations. Articles 7 & 8 of the Draft Constitutional Declaration clearly outline the NTC's plan to join international and regional declarations and charters that protect human rights and basic freedoms. The NTC has also taken action. It produced and reissued a frontline manual instructing Libyan civilians on the fundamental rules that must be adhered to in conflict and has conducted an investigation into reports of mistreatment of prisoners. We welcome this emphasis and their commitment, and will continue to raise these issues with them.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the firing of mortars and Qassam rockets into southern Israel from Gaza on 4 July 2011; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: Our embassy in Tel Aviv monitor rocket attacks on Israel closely. As we have consistently made clear, all such attacks should stop. Our understanding is that the situation was quiet on the Gaza-Israel border on 4 July 2011 and no rockets were fired into Israel that day.
	More recently, from 18-21 August, we witnessed once again an alarming escalation in violence. I issued a statement making clear our concerns about the violence in Gaza and southern Israel. Nine Israelis were killed and many more were injured. In Gaza, at least 15 people were reported killed, including three children. We strongly condemned this appalling violence. The announcement of a ceasefire is welcome.
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News &id=645743582
	We have urged that everything is done to avoid further civilian casualties. It is vital that all sides show restraint and seek to reduce tensions.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent reports he has received of (a) meetings of and (b) statements by the Arab League on responses to terrorism by Israel; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the Arab League on statements by that organisation condemning Arab terrorism in Israel; and if he will make a statement; [R]
	(3)  what recent reports he has received of occasions when members of the Arab League have (a) met to discuss and (b) issued statements to condemn terrorist incidents (i) in Israel committed by Hamas and (ii) in Israel and the West Bank committed by (A) Arab organisations and (B) Hezbollah. [R]

Alistair Burt: UK Ministers and officials are in regular contact with the Arab League, an organisation key to UK objectives in the region. We discuss a range of issues of mutual concern, especially the Middle East Peace Process and wider Israeli/Palestinian concerns. Most recently, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Cairo met the Secretary General of the Arab League on 8 September.
	The UK's position on all terrorist attacks is that they should be condemned unreservedly. This is especially important as efforts, for peace in the region continue and all parties should be doing everything they can to prevent violence and coming together to negotiate.
	Representations on meetings and statements of the Arab League may best be made to the Arab League themselves. The Head of the Office in London is Dr Adel Babesail, who can be contacted at:
	press@arableague.org.uk

Nguyen Van Ly

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the government of Vietnam for the early release of Father Nguyen Van Ly.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government are concerned about the Vietnamese authorities' decision to return Father Ly to prison on 25 July and we are continuing to monitor his case closely. We fully endorse the EU High Representative's statement of 29 July 2011 on Father Ly's re-imprisonment. Father Ly is included on the local EU list of persons and detainees of concern which we share regularly with the Vietnamese authorities to seek information about the welfare of the detainees and to request their immediate release.

Nguyen Van Ly

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Vietnam to release Father Nguyen Van Ly from prison.

Alistair Burt: The EU engages regularly with the Vietnamese authorities on a list of persons and detainees of concern, seeking information about the welfare of the detainees and requesting their immediate release. The list, which includes Father Ly, was raised most recently with the Vietnamese authorities on 24 August. The UK Government remain concerned about the Vietnamese authorities' decision to return Father Ly to prison on 25 July and we are continuing to monitor his case closely. We fully endorse the EU High Representative's statement of 29 July 2011 on Father Ly's re-imprisonment.

Palestinian State (Oslo Accords)

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he has taken of the Oslo interim agreement in developing his policy on the proposed UN resolution on a Palestinian State.

Alistair Burt: The UK's policy is that the best way to resolve this long standing conflict is through a negotiated two-state solution. Our approach is to encourage the parties to agree a lasting settlement, including through implementation of the Oslo Accords.
	Failure to return to negotiations now puts at risk the long term prospects for a solution and, in the short term, may provoke difficult choices in the UN. Neither Israel nor the Palestinians can afford to let the opportunity for peace slip further from their grasp.
	Along with our European Union partners, we are working to build consensus on a way forward that recognises the progress the Palestinians have made on their state-building efforts, that meets Israel's legitimate security concerns, and that avoids confrontation in the UN. Whatever action is taken in New York, it is important that this increases the prospects for a return to negotiations.

Libya: Politics and Government

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of the political and security situation in Libya.

Alistair Burt: The Government have welcomed the National Transitional Council's (NTC) Constitutional Declaration. The NTC has shown its commitment to a more open and democratic Libya and is working to achieve this through an inclusive political process. The formation of an interim government in Tripoli is expected soon. As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) said on 5 September 2011, the Libyan people can be proud of what they have achieved. They now have the opportunity to decide their own future.
	The NTC has also articulated its stabilisation plan. The UK will be at the forefront of international efforts to assist Libyans in planning and implementation of this plan. We support the role of the UN in co-ordinating international assistance to the new Libyan authorities.
	The overall security situation is improving with all but a few population centres free of Gaddafi forces. Pressure continues to increase on the remnants of his forces in Sirte, Bani Walid and Sabha, and NATO is continuing to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

Somalia: Famine

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Kenya on the use of refugee facilities for victims of the famine in Somalia.

Andrew Mitchell: I have been asked to reply.
	During my visit to Kenya in July, I pressed the Kenyan Prime Minister and Minister for Provincial Administration and Internal Security Affairs over the need to allocate more camp space for refugees fleeing Somalia. The Ifo II and Kambioos camps in Dadaab have since been opened.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what definition of myalgic encephalopathy his Department uses; and how it categorises the condition.

Chris Grayling: DWP guidance defines Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis as:
	“an illness that is characterised by physical and mental fatigue and fatigability.”
	Guidance does not formally categorise the condition but states that:
	“it is important to ensure full consideration is given to all the disabling effects of the illness.”

Employment

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of recent trends in part-time working; what estimate he has made of the number of part-time employees in the quarter to June 2011; what estimate he has made of the number of such employees who are seeking a full-time job; what assessment he has made of the effects of recent trends in part-time working on the economy; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of recent trends in temporary employment; what estimate he has made of the number of people working as temporary employees in the quarter to June 2011; what estimate he has made of the number of such employees who are seeking a permanent job; what assessment he has made of the effects of recent trends in the number of temporary employees on the economy; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking:
	(i) what assessment he has made of recent trends in part-time working; what estimate he has made of the number of part-time employees in the quarter to June 2011; what estimate he has made of the number of such employees who are seeking a full-time job; what assessment he has made of the effects of recent trends in part-time working on the economy (70034); and
	(ii) what assessment he has made of recent trends in temporary employment; what estimate he has made of the number of people working as temporary employees in the quarter to June 2011; what estimate he has made of the number of such employees who are seeking a permanent job; what assessment he has made of the effects of recent trends in the number of temporary employees on the economy (70035);
	For the period April-June 2011 there were an estimated 6.678 million employees in the UK working part-time (seasonally adjusted). On a non-seasonally adjusted basis there were 6.681 million part-time employees, of which 1.097 million reported that they had taken part-time employment because they had not been able to find a full-time job.
	For the same period there were an estimated 1.608 million people working as temporary employees, of which 0.601 million reported that they had taken a temporary job because they had not been able to find a permanent job (both figures seasonally adjusted).
	The ONS does not publish estimates of trends in these statistics. Nor does it assess the effects of temporary and part-time working on the economy. However, time series for the statistics requested are published among the tables associated with the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Indications of the sampling variability of LFS aggregate estimates are provided in the Statistical Bulletin.

Enterprise Clubs

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many enterprise clubs have been set up in (a) England, (b) the South East and (c) Kent.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not publish statistics on Enterprise Clubs as they are a locally driven initiative that will evolve over time, and their support can be accessed without referral from Jobcentre Plus.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to encourage claimants of jobseeker's allowance to become self-employed.

Chris Grayling: The new enterprise allowance (NEA) provides help to unemployed people to start their own business. It is available to people who have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months or more. It provides access to business mentoring and offers financial support.
	Jobseeker's allowance claimants who participate in the new enterprise allowance work with a volunteer business mentor who will provide them with guidance and support as they develop their business idea, and through the early stages of trading. To be eligible to receive the financial support, the claimant has to demonstrate that their business idea is viable and has growth potential. The financial support consists of a weekly allowance payable over 26 weeks worth up to £1,274—allowing them to establish their business and cash flow—and if they need start-up capital they may also apply for an unsecured loan of up to £1,000 to help them with start-up costs such as buying their initial equipment.
	The new enterprise allowance is now available throughout Great Britain.
	We are also supporting the development of local Enterprise Clubs, helping people make the most of local knowledge and resources to support unemployed people in their communities who are interested in becoming self-employed. Enterprise Clubs provide unemployed people interested in self-employment with a place to meet and exchange skills, make contacts, share experiences, receive support and encourage each other to work through their business ideas. Jobcentre Plus advisers signpost claimants interested in self-employment to their local Enterprise Club where one is available.

Welfare to Work

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what welfare-to-work organisations operating in Reading West constituency have a contract with his Department.

Chris Grayling: Action for Employment and Maximus hold Work programme contracts in Reading. In addition, Action for Employment has a Jobcentre Plus Support Contract and Shaw Trust holds a Work Choice contract.

Work Capability Assessment

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Work Capability Assessments have been initiated in East Hampshire constituency to date.

Chris Grayling: The following table presents data for employment and support allowance (ESA) claims in East Hampshire local authority area starting between October 2008 to November 2010 (the latest data available). The table shows the outcomes at initial and repeat work capability assessments. Note that claims closed before the assessment was complete have been included for completeness as the claim may have been closed after the work capability assessment was initiated.
	
		
			 ESA claims starting in East Hampshire 
			 Number 
			  Support group Work-related activity group Fit for work Claim closed before assessment complete Assessment still in progress All claims 
			 Initial assessments 110 230 380 510 10 1,250 
			 Repeat assessments 30 110 50 40 30 250 
			 Total 140 340 440 550 40 1,500 
			 Notes: 1. The Department regularly publishes official statistics on the employment and support allowance (ESA) work capability assessment at the national level. The latest report, published in July 2011, covers new claimants to ESA for October 2008 to November 2010 (the latest data available) and can be found here: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 2. The data presented above comes from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions and functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare. 3. These figures do not include incapacity benefit reassessment claims. 4. A small number of clerical assessments, where the result cannot be determined from DWP benefits data, are excluded from these figures.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve supply chain mechanisms to deliver resources to military personnel serving in Afghanistan.

Peter Luff: As recognised by the Committee of Public Accounts Forty-Third report of Session 2010-12, the chain by which military operations, such as those in Afghanistan, are supplied with essential equipment and supplies would be much more efficient if directed by a modern information system supported by appropriate skills and procedures. A comprehensive programme is under way to replace the current ageing and obsolete logistics information systems with new capabilities including the Future Logistics Information Services project (which will replace the base inventory systems), the Management of the Joint Deployed Inventory (MJDI) system (for deployed assets) and the Joint Asset Management Engineering Solution (JAMES) (to improve the management of land equipment).
	MJDI and JAMES are currently being rolled out. These will contribute to improved materiel accounting and early increments of MJDI are already in service within some units within Afghanistan, with the programme due to deliver the full MJDI and JAMES capabilities in 2014.
	In addition, the new single tri-service base inventory and warehousing system, to replace the individual systems used in all three services, will also be delivered incrementally. This will see a major step change in the support chain and materiel accounting, with a rationalised modern base inventory and warehouse service with easier reconciliation with the Ministry of Defence's finance systems.

Armed Forces

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need for an officer of high rank to (a) oversee and organise the return of troops from Germany and (b) lead the new Multi-Role Brigade.

Nick Harvey: It has been agreed that the senior military officer who will oversee the return of troops from Germany will be the Commander-in-Chief Land Forces. He will be supported by the chief executive of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, who is responsible for the preparation of the UK Defence estate in advance of the troops returning, and the return of the estate that the Army currently occupies in Germany to the German Federal authorities.
	There are no plans to change the manner in which operational brigades are commanded; the multi-role brigades will be commanded by brigadiers selected in line with current Army policy.

Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of service is for an infantry soldier who enlists (a) aged 18 or above and (b) below the age of 18.

Andrew Robathan: The average length of service on exit for trained infantry soldiers who left during the period 1 April 2009 to 31 July 2011 was 8.7 years.
	For those who joined under the age of 18 it was 10 years and for those who joined aged 18 or over it was 7.6 years.

Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel in (a) trained and (b) untrained strength are not deployable due to their age.

Andrew Robathan: As at 1 July 2011, there were 150 trained service personnel who were not fully deployable as they were under the age of 18. There were 1,940 untrained service personnel under the age of 18.

Armed Forces

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has undertaken into the cost of recruiting, training and paying 16 year old soldiers for up to two years before they can be deployed since the commencement of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Andrew Robathan: None.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to assist resettlement of early service leavers who enlisted below the age of 18.

Andrew Robathan: Resettlement assistance is offered to all early service leavers, regardless of their age. This includes a briefing at unit level on all the services and organisations that are in a position to help them in their transition to civilian life and guidance on accessing the services available through the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to which, as ex-service personnel, they have early access. DWP services include an interview by trained consultants, access to online job search facilities, practical guidance on creating and updating CVs, identifying transferrable skills and training opportunities, professional help in completing job applications and development of interview skills with the aid of expert staff. Advice is also given on housing issues, pensions and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
	From November 2011, we are enhancing the resettlement package for all early service leavers, regardless of their age, through trialling best practice industry solutions. The aim of the trials is to improve employment outcomes for those who leave early through the offer of a more personalised and sophisticated level of resettlement. Under these trials we also aim to offer greater support for any who leave early and are vulnerable to social exclusion, again, regardless of their age.
	Personnel who leave early as a result of being medically discharged are entitled to the most comprehensive resettlement package through the Career Transition Partnership. This consists of a range of transition services and concessions in time, money and training opportunities.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many early service leavers left the armed forces in the last 12 months; how many of those were aged 21 or younger; and how many enlisted below the age of 18.

Andrew Robathan: In the financial year 2010-11, 6,130 personnel left the armed forces with less than four years' service, of which 3,740 were aged under 21. Of the 6,130, 2,180 were aged under 18 when they enlisted. The figures comprise UK Regular forces, both trained and untrained, and are rounded to the nearest 10.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which personnel use Craigiehall housing stock;
	(2)  which bodies own the housing stock associated with the Craigiehall base in Edinburgh;
	(3)  what plans he has for the future of housing stock at Craigiehall.

Andrew Robathan: There are 78 service family accommodation (SFA) properties at Craigiehall that are owned by the Ministry of Defence. The exact future requirement for SFA in the Edinburgh area is under review, however, it is expected that all current housing stock will continue to be required to accommodate entitled service personnel and their families.
	As at 5 September 2011, SFA at Craigiehall was used to accommodate entitled personnel from the following units: 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, 105 Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers), 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Royal Logistics Corps, Headquarters 2nd Division, 22 Military Intelligence Company, 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 45 Commando Royal Marines, 6th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (Volunteers), 603 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, Armed Forces Careers Office, Defence Equipment and Support, Headquarters 51 (Scottish) Brigade, Headquarters International Security Assistance Force, Royal Air Force Leuchars, Scottish Transport Regiment Royal Logistics Corps (Volunteers) and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Personnel.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) families and (b) children are living in army accommodation at (i) Craigiehall, (ii) Redford and (iii) Dreghorn.

Andrew Robathan: Service family accommodation (SFA) is a tri-service asset and properties are not allocated to individual barracks or units. As at 5 September 2011, records show there were 648 families with 929 children under the age of 18 living in SFA in the Edinburgh area.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many single accommodation places there are for (a) officers and (b) other ranks at (i) Redford Barracks, (ii) Dreghorn Barracks and (iii) Craigiehall;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of units of (a) single living accommodation and (b) service family accommodation at each grade there are at (i) Redford Barracks, (ii) Dreghorn Barracks and (iii) Craigiehall.

Andrew Robathan: The number of single living accommodation bedspaces together with standard for condition (SfC) at Redford Barracks, Dreghorn Barracks and Craigiehall is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Establishment Rank SfC 1 SfC 2 SfC 3 SfC 4 Total 
			 Redford Barracks Officer — 13 48 — 61 
			  Other ranks — 44 160 197 401 
			  Redford total — 57 208 197 462 
			        
			 Dreghorn Barracks Officer — 16 25 9 50 
			  Other ranks — — 135 242 377 
			  Dreghorn total — 16 160 251 427 
			        
			 Craigiehall Officer — — — 47 47 
			  Other ranks — — — 24 24 
			  Craigiehall total — — — 71 71 
			        
			 Overall total  0 73 368 519 960 
		
	
	Service family accommodation (SFA) is a tri-service asset and properties are not allocated to individual barracks or units. There are some 757 SFA across Edinburgh of which 738 are at SfC 1 and 19 are at SfC 2.

Armed Forces: Housing

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on accommodation in the last 10 years for (a) Redford Barracks, (b) Dreghorn Barracks and (c) Craigiehall.

Andrew Robathan: The amount spent on single living accommodation in Redford Barracks, Dreghorn Barracks, and Craigiehall is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Dreghorn 0.13 0.24 0.15 0.14 0.19 0.25 0.26 0.27 
		
	
	
		
			 Craigiehall 0.05 0.16 0.23 0.13 0.05 0.06 0.09 0.13 
			 Redford 0.16 0.50 0.60 1.34 0.56 0.78 0.55 0.98 
		
	
	Service family accommodation (SFA) is managed on a tri-service basis and is not broken down by individual sites. The amount spent on SFA in Edinburgh is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2003-04 0.51 
			 2004-05 1.36 
			 2005-06 2.75 
			 2006-07 3.81 
			 2007-08 3.03 
			 2008-09 2.95 
			 2009-10 1.90 
			 2010-11 2.10 
		
	
	Data prior to 2003 are not held.

Armed Forces: Training

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Royal Air Force and (b) Royal Navy personnel undertaking pilot training were informed of (i) redundancy and (ii) termination of their place on their course; at what stage of their training they were so informed; and how many such personnel have been assigned to other duties.

Andrew Robathan: In March this year, 170 RAF student pilots left the flying training pipeline during the initial phase of flying training, which is undertaken prior to learning to fly specific operational aircraft. Of those:
	seven student pilots have secured career moves to ground-based branches;
	161 have been notified they will be made redundant; and
	two are leaving the RAF for different reasons.
	Redundancy notifications for personnel in the Royal Navy will be issued on 30 September 2011. It would not be appropriate to announce how many of those are pilots prior to the announcement.

Combat Capability Directorate

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  where the headquarters for the (a) Combat Capability Directorate, (b) Combat Support Capability Directorate, (c) Information Capability Directorate and (d) Combat Service Support Capability Directorate will be located;
	(2)  how many (a) service and (b) civilian personnel will be assigned to (i) Combat Capability Directorate, (ii) Combat Support Capability Directorate and (iii) the Information Capability Directorate;
	(3)  which regiments will be (a) amalgamated and (b) disbanded as a result of the creation of the Combat Capability Directorate.

Nick Harvey: The Army is planning to restructure eight of its arms and service directorates into four capability directorates by the end of 2012. Detailed planning is under way but the location of the directorates and the numbers, of service and civilian personnel to be assigned to them has yet to be determined.
	No regiments will be amalgamated or disbanded as a result of the creation of the combat capability directorate.

Departmental Redundancy

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on redundancy payments for armed forces personnel since May 2010.

Andrew Robathan: Nothing.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects simultaneously to maintain an (a) Amphibious and (b) Airborne Small Scale Contingency Battle Group.

Nick Harvey: A contingent Amphibious Commando Group and Airborne Task Force, at battle group level, will be maintained simultaneously from financial year 2012.

Military Bases

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether planning permission was obtained for the previously planned modernisation of Craigiehall as a divisional headquarters.

Andrew Robathan: Planning permission was granted by Edinburgh city council for an office building to replace the Annandale block at Craigiehall. However, it was decided to delay commencement of work until the requirement for a replacement was further developed and resources allowed.

Military Bases

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated values are of the sites of United Kingdom Land Command at (a) Redford Barracks, (b) Dreghorn Barracks and (c) Craigiehall.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence does not routinely assess the current market value of all its estate because the estimated receipts will depend on market conditions and other factors at the time of sale. Where pre-sale valuations have been obtained, these are withheld as their disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Military Bases

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maintenance costs were for (a) Redford Barracks, (b) Dreghorn Barracks and (c) Second Division headquarters at Craigiehall in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The maintenance costs for Redford Barracks, Dreghorn Barracks and Craigiehall in each of the last five years, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Redford Barracks 3.1 1.4 2.5 2.0 3.0 
			 Dreghorn Barracks 0.7 1.4 2.2 1.1 1.4 
			 Craigiehall 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4

Military Bases: Kirknewton

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian jobs will be lost with the closure of (a) Craigiehall, (b) Redford and (c) Dreghorn barracks; whether these jobs will be moved to the proposed new base at Kirknewton; and whether any such jobs which are moved to Kirknewton will be filled by army personnel.

Andrew Robathan: The number of civilian posts which will be affected by the closure of Craigiehall, Redford and Dreghorn Barracks is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Location Number of civilian posts  (1) 
			 Craigiehall (HQ 2nd Division) 150 
			 Craigiehall (Other units) 80 
			 Redford Barracks 63 
			 Dreghorn Barracks 21 
			 (1 )Some posts are currently vacant 
		
	
	The future-of the civilian posts based in Headquarters (HQ) 2nd Division at Craigiehall, will be considered as part of the process to create a single HQ Support Command based in Aldershot.
	The other units affected by the site closures at Craigiehall, Redford and Dreghorn Barracks will, as appropriate, be accommodated at other locations. This remains subject to further detailed planning work on the timing and sequencing of Army moves and it is too early to confirm where these units will be located or what the impact will be on specific civilian jobs.
	There is no intention to fill any civilian posts moving to Kirknewton with Army personnel.

Navy

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had on steps to equalise pay and conditions between Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Royal Navy personnel.

Andrew Robathan: The well established Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) conditions of service are based on civil service and RFA specific policy, reflecting the distinct role of the RFA service, the status of the personnel as Ministry of Defence civilians, and the tasks required of them in meeting Defence requirements. There have therefore been no negotiations regarding the equalisation of pay and conditions between the RFA and Royal Navy personnel.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Transport

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to assist with the development of transport links that would encourage tourism in each of the overseas territories that receive assistance from his Department.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development in partnership with Overseas Territory Governments pursues every opportunity to encourage tourism that represents value for money for the UK taxpayer and that will lead to economic development, reduced dependence, and ultimately, greater self-sufficiency for the territory.
	For example, DFID has been willing to finance an airport for St Helena subject to the conditions set out in Secretary of State for International Development's written statement of 22 July 2010, Official Report, columns 46-47WS. For Montserrat, we are at the early stages of considering an investment with the EU in an upgraded port at Little Bay. DFID also currently subsidises sea access to St Helena, Montserrat and Pitcairn to ensure that islanders and tourists can travel to these islands in a safe, predictable and affordable manner.

Ethiopia: Overseas Aid

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes have been made to the mechanisms for tracking aid following the recommendations made in the report of the Development Assistance Group Ethiopia on Aid Management and Utilisation in Ethiopia.

Stephen O'Brien: The Development Assistance Group (DAG) report on Aid Management and Utilisation in Ethiopia was published in August 2010. Since publication, the Department for International Development (DFID) and other international agencies have been working with the Government of Ethiopia to implement the recommendations made in the report. Two examples of specific progress include the design of an independent grievance mechanism for the Protection of Basic Services programme and improvements to the systems that identify who should be included in emergency nutrition programmes.
	DFID continues to play a leading role in these efforts. But we would like to see swifter progress. Prompted by DFID, the DAG has this month advertised for a full-time adviser to co-ordinate and accelerate the strengthening of systems and safeguards in donor-supported programmes in Ethiopia. One early task for the adviser will include a comprehensive assessment of progress made in implementing the recommendations of the DAG report.

Ethiopia: Overseas Aid

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the recommendation for a second phase of work in the report of the Development Assistance Group Ethiopia on Aid Management and Utilisation in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The Development Assistance Group (DAG) study on Aid Management and Utilisation in Ethiopia concluded with a report published in August 2010. Since publication, the Department for International Development (DFID) and other international agencies have been working with the Government of Ethiopia to strengthen the systems and safeguards in the programmes covered by the report. This important ongoing work is being taken forward in routine, programme-specific dialogue. It is core business for DAG members, not a ‘second phase’ of work.

Ethiopia: Overseas Aid

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department (a) has provided and (b) plans to provide to the Government of Ethiopia for its policy of villagization.

Stephen O'Brien: In February 2011, the Government of Ethiopia approached the international community for support for its villagisation programme (now officially known as the Commune Programme).
	The Department for International Development (DFID), in collaboration with other international agencies, then developed a set of guidelines and principles for transparent and fair villagisation/resettlement processes in Ethiopia. These were discussed with and accepted by the Government of Ethiopia. DFID has also provided the Government with examples of good practice relating to resettlement and villagisation processes.
	While we do not plan to provide financial support to the Commune Programme, we are discussing with the Government of Ethiopia, relevant regional authorities and international partners how we can best support accelerated development in the four developing regions of Ethiopia, which include those regions where the Commune Programme is being implemented.

Ethiopia: Resettlement

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent assessment led by his Department of the villagization process in the Gambella region of Ethiopia.

Stephen O'Brien: In February 2011, officials from the Department for International Development (DFID) in Ethiopia participated in a multi-agency assessment of villagisation (now officially known as the Commune Programme) in the Gambella region of Ethiopia. The findings were captured in a report, which was shared with the Government of Ethiopia.
	The decision to share the report requires agreement by all agencies involved in the mission. DFID Ethiopia is seeking approval to release the report from the agencies involved.

Horn of Africa: Droughts

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information his Department holds on the amounts donated by other donors to alleviate the drought crisis in the horn of Africa; what estimate he has made of total donations by 30 September 2011; what estimate he has made of outstanding financial requirements; and what steps he is taking to attract greater donations.

Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations (UN) maintains a website, accessible at:
	http://fts.unocha.org/pageloader.aspx
	which has details of donor contributions to the horn of Africa. Currently the UK is the second largest humanitarian donor to region behind the United States. Since 1 July, the UK has committed £124.29 million. During the third week of September, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) will sit in New York. I anticipate that UN member states will pledge funds to the Horn relief effort at UNGA. This makes it difficult to gauge what the overall donor response will be come 30 September.
	According to the UN, regional financial shortfalls across the Horn are $918 million as of 9 September. The UK is committed to encouraging other countries to support relief operations and lobbying others remains a key component of the UK’s response. On this issue, over the summer, I have spoken many times to development ministers from other countries, international agencies, such as UNICEF, WFP, UNHCR, and OCHR, and NGO’s, as have the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary. The UK will maintain the pressure on other donors to support life-saving humanitarian activities in the horn of Africa.

Libya: Politics and Government

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council to help strengthen state institutions in Libya;
	(2)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council to counter any threat of violent extremism in Libya;
	(3)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council to pursue sustainable economic development in Libya;
	(4)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council for the reconstruction and development of local infrastructure in Libya;
	(5)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council to make progress towards democratic reform in Libya;
	(6)  what support he plans to give to the National Transitional Council to promote the development of free and independent media in Libya.

Andrew Mitchell: The transition in Libya must be Libyan led and Libyan owned, supported by the international community. We will continue to support the Libyan people, through the leadership of the National Transitional Council, in stabilising their country. We are discussing with the National Transitional Council what their needs are: the UK's role in meeting these will be determined in conjunction with other international partners, under the co-ordination of the United Nations.
	Strong support by the UK on all aspects of stabilisation has been given to the NTC over recent months.

North Africa: Transport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on plans for the Lamu-Southern Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor.

Stephen O'Brien: DFID is supporting transport corridor development in east and southern Africa as part of the UK's Africa Free Trade initiative. This includes support to the Tripartite (COMESA-EAC-SADC) through the TradeMark programmes in east and southern Africa. The Tripartite will showcase two potential projects along the Lamu corridor which will be presented to private sector investors and financiers at a conference in Nairobi on 28-29 September 2011.
	The projects, which are being developed by the Government of Kenya as part of its “Vision 2030”, aim to improve access by road to the port of Lamu and support the construction of three berths. The UK is not planning to finance these projects. As with all projects, the UK recommends that the Government of Kenya conducts a full environmental and social impact assessment and achieves transparency and value for money in procurement.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with officials of the Sudanese Government on the provision of aid for Sudan.

Andrew Mitchell: In June this year I met Sudanese Foreign Minister Karti; we discussed how UK aid was being used in Sudan, and the responsibilities of the Government of Sudan in the development of their country. I also discussed these issues with a number of Sudanese Ministers during my visit to Sudan in May. DFID does not route any funding directly through the Government of Sudan. We currently provide most of our funding through large multi-donor pooled funds managed by UN agencies. DFID officials in Khartoum work with the relevant ministries within Government of Sudan to help them identify and address the development needs of the country. On my visit in May, I also discussed UK aid with ministers from the then Government of Southern Sudan, including President Kiir, now President of the independent Republic of South Sudan.
	The British Government are providing £50 million a year for the next four years to help the people of Sudan.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

Andrew Mitchell: We are greatly concerned at the humanitarian situation in Sudan. This is particularly acute in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State where recent conflict has broken out and where humanitarian access is very limited. There are also significant ongoing humanitarian needs in Abyei and Darfur. We are working closely with the UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations to press for greater access to those that need help the most and for the protection of civilians.
	In 2011, the UK has provided £40 million to the UN managed Common Humanitarian Fund which channels funds through UN agencies and non-Governmental Organisations , of which around 60% will be spent in Sudan in response to needs on the ground. We expect this to help deliver the following results, among others:
	Emergency shelter and non-food items to 2.4 million people
	Life-saving health and nutritional support to six million people
	Safe water and sanitation to three million people
	Food security and livelihoods support to 5.4 million people.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Police Numbers

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in the number of police officers has been in England and Wales since May 2010.

Nick Herbert: Police personnel data are collected on a financial year cycle. Published statistics show that there were 139,110 full-time equivalent police officers in England and Wales as at 31 March 2011. This compares with 143,734 as at 31 March 2010.

Police Numbers

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effect of changes in the number of police officers on the level of crime.

Nick Herbert: As the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), reminded the House during the last round of oral questions, the Home Affairs Select Committee said in February:
	“We accept that there is no simple relationship between numbers of police officers and levels of crime.”
	The Government agree.

Sex Offenders

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted for sexual crimes will no longer be barred from working with children following implementation of her legislative proposals.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government are scaling back the proposed Vetting and Barring Scheme to common-sense levels by reducing the scope of regulated activity and limiting barring to those who work in, have worked in or will work in regulated activity. Child protection remains paramount and the most serious offences will still lead to automatic barring. It is not possible to make the estimate requested, as not all sexual offences will result in barring either now or in the revised scheme.

JUSTICE

Civil Disorder

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) males and (b) females in each age category who were (i) arrested and (ii) prosecuted for a criminal offence during the recent public disorder in August 2011 were subject to a (A) parole and (B) rehabilitation order at the time the offence was committed, by police force area.

Crispin Blunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 September 2011, Official Report, column 379W.

Civil Disorder

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many court reports were prepared in connection with people arrested following public disorder in August 2011 in England and Wales;
	(2)  how many people (a) arrested and (b) charged following the public disorder in August 2011 were found to be tagged as a result of a previous court order; and if he will make a statement.

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of (a) people, (b) women and (c) young people convicted for offences carried out in the August public disorder had previously served a custodial sentence.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is currently publishing frequent updates on people being dealt with by the court system in relation to the disturbances on 6-9 August. These reports can be found on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/ad-hoc/index.htm
	As the publication notes, the chief statistician will review the quality of data and release further breakdowns as reliable data become available. A more detailed release will be published on 15 September containing detailed information on age, gender, offence committed, sentence given and previous criminal history.

Civil Proceedings: Legal Costs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that people wishing to pursue clinical negligence claims are not deterred from doing so because of the potential cost of such litigation; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: As part of our package of reforms to civil litigation funding and costs, alongside the removal of recoverability of conditional fee agreements, success fees and after the event insurance premiums, there are a number of reforms to assist claimants in the new regime. There will be an increase of 10% in damages for non-pecuniary loss such as pain, suffering and loss of amenity. In personal injury cases, including clinical negligence, there will be a cap on the amount of damages that may be taken as a success fee. The cap will be set at 25% of the damages awarded other than those for future care loss. This will help protect claimants' damages, and is particularly important in clinical negligence claims, where the damages for future care and loss can sometimes run into many millions of pounds. Qualified one way costs shifting, which is to be introduced in personal injury including clinical negligence, will protect the vast majority of claimants from having to pay the defendant's costs if they lose.
	We have listened to particular concerns about the funding of expert reports in clinical negligence cases. Such reports are important to establish whether there is a case for bringing proceedings; but they can be expensive. We are discussing with the NHS Litigation Authority and other stakeholders how the commissioning of reports can be improved. In addition, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill includes a tightly drawn power to allow the recoverability of the ATE insurance premiums in clinical negligence cases only. The details will be set out in regulations.
	As part of the legal aid reforms the Government recognise that there may be clinical negligence cases, such as obstetrics cases, with high disbursement costs, which are currently funded by legal aid but for which it may be difficult to secure a conditional fee agreement.
	We have proposed an ‘exceptional funding’ scheme, which would ensure that individual cases of this type continue to receive legal aid where failure to do so would be likely to result in a breach of the individual's rights to legal aid under the Human Rights Act 1998 or EU law. In considering whether exceptional funding should be granted we will take into account the ability of the client to present their own case, the complexity of the matter, the importance of the issues at stake, and all other relevant circumstances.

Convictions: Burglary

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest number was of previous convictions for burglary for an individual convicted of an offence of burglary without being sent to prison in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The highest number of previous convictions for burglary, for an individual who was given a sentence other than immediate custody for a burglary offence in 2010, was 58. 38 of these resulted in a custodial sentence. The equivalent figures for 2009 and 2008 were 54 and 56 respectively. The figures relate to three individuals each of whom has a criminal history ranging over 40 years.
	The figures relate to separate sentencing occasions at any time in the offender's criminal history; where an offender was sentenced on the same occasion for several offences it is the primary offence that has been counted. These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the PNC, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Departmental Written Questions

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of written questions tabled to him for answer on a named day did not receive a substantive answer on the day named for answer between (a) 27 May 2010 and 19 July 2011 and (b) 9 March 2011 and 19 July 2011.

Kenneth Clarke: Between 27 May 2010 and 19 July 2011, I received a total of 706 written questions for answer on a named day. Of these, 18 received substantive answers after the named day. This equates to 2.5% of the total number of questions within the period.
	Between 9 March 2011 and 19 July 2011, I received 276 written questions for answer on a named day. Of these, 12 received substantive answers after the named day, equating to 4.4% of the total for the period.

Freedom of Information

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy that all bodies which receive public money be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are committed to extending the scope of the Freedom of Information Act to increase transparency and are currently consulting over 200 bodies about their inclusion, with plans to further extend this consultation to housing associations. The operation of the Freedom of Information Act will also be assessed through post-legislative scrutiny. Additionally, the Government's “Open Data Consultation” is proposing and consulting on an extension to the types of organisations to which an Open Data policy would apply. Further policy in this area will be developed in light of the evidence drawn from this work.

Interpreters: Training

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to ensure that interpreters employed in the criminal justice system have professional qualifications.

Crispin Blunt: As I announced in a written ministerial statement I made to the House on 15 September 2010, Official Report, columns 46-47WS, we are reforming the delivery of interpretation and translation services across the justice sector. This will primarily affect England and Wales.
	A framework agreement with a single supplier was signed by the Ministry of Justice on 24 August 2011. This document includes clear quality standards specifying the qualifications and experience required for interpreters to work in the justice sector.

Organised Crime

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of the joint thematic review on the management of gang issues.

Kenneth Clarke: This report raised important issues and action has been taken by the Youth Justice Board and the National Offender Management Service in respect of the recommendations that fell to them.
	The Government are currently developing a cross-departmental programme of action to tackle gangs and gang violence. An Inter-Ministerial Group will report to Parliament in October.

Prison Accommodation

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost is per prison place at each public and private sector prison in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following tables provide direct and overall average resource cost per place and cost per prisoner at each public and private sector prison as published in the National Offender Management Service annual report 2009-10 under management information addendum.
	Cost per place is direct resource expenditure or overall resource expressed in terms of the baseline certified normal accommodation and cost per prisoner is direct resource expenditure or overall resource expressed in terms of average population.
	
		
			 Male category B 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Dovegate 32,448,310 34,844 32,995 34,492,848 37,039 35,074 
			 Garth 20,604,543 25,375 24,782 32,047,512 39,467 38,546 
			 Gartree 18,005,960 26,133 26,463 26,669,775 38,708 39,196 
			 Grendon (HMP Grendon and Springhill) 15,059,951 25,656 29,101 22,360,208 38,092 43,208 
			 Kingston 6,154,941 30,929 33,285 9,279,202 46,629 50,180 
			 Lowdham Grange 20,224,371 31,114 29,215 22,224,413 34,191 32,105 
			 Rye Hill 18,464,782 30,775 28,284 20,179,188 33,632 30,910 
			 Total 130,962,859 29,310 28,829 167,253,146 37,431 36,818 
		
	
	
		
			 Male category C 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Acklington 19,068,806 20,157 20,404 30,497,488 32,238 32,632 
			 Ashwell 10,780,794 17,998 53,591 16,094,180 26,868 80,004 
			 Blundeston 13,185,553 27,413 25,393 19,507,171 40,555 37,568 
			 Buckley Hall 9,398,478 26,853 24,657 14,951,989 42,720 39,227 
			 Bullwood Hall 7,054,113 33,591 31,317 10,332,825 49,204 45,873 
			 Bure 6,443,268 88,567 89,906 7,969,440 109,546 111,201 
			 Canterbury 7,549,122 38,713 24,603 11,966,420 61,366 39,000 
			 Channings Wood 15,813,666 22,656 21,847 24,184,057 34,648 33,411 
			 Coldingley 14,018,059 28,377 27,681 21,837,227 44,205 43,121 
			 Dartmoor 15,336,826 24,203 25,211 21,712,259 34,264 35,691 
			 Edmunds Hill 9,532,440 24,792 25,590 14,506,291 37,728 38,943 
			 Erlestoke 10,782,718 22,942 23,180 15,897,306 33,824 34,176 
		
	
	
		
			 Everthorpe 13,043,793 21,631 19,324 21,051,089 34,911 31,187 
			 Featherstone 14,299,431 21,417 21,581 22,392,541 33,539 33,796 
			 Guys Marsh 12,187,978 23,438 21,326 18,878,966 36,306 33,034 
			 Haverigg 14,353,097 23,076 23,472 21,156,734 34,014 34,598 
			 Highpoint 18,374,576 19,972 19,888 29,204,539 31,744 31,609 
			 Kennet 11,745,116 67,115 34,706 22,001,586 125,723 65,013 
			 Lancaster Castle 7,357,275 46,272 31,308 9,698,315 60,996 41,269 
			 Lindholme (+IND) 21,100,924 20,020 19,026 36,330,295 34,469 32,757 
			 Littlehey 16,144,636 23,438 21,923 26,791,175 38,894 36,380 
			 Maidstone 12,092,965 21,403 20,552 19,620,660 34,727 33,345 
			 Moorland 20,999,891 21,000 20,690 37,346,130 37,346 36,794 
			 Mount (The) 16,518,570 22,113 21,668 28,055,903 37,558 36,803 
			 Onley 17,490,925 24,664 25,823 26,434,167 37,275 39,027 
			 Ranby 21,782,913 22,457 20,247 34,549,597 35,618 32,114 
			 Risley 21,636,889 20,607 20,134 33,633,695 32,032 31,297 
			 Shepton Mallet 6,004,573 36,391 31,883 9,110,721 55,216 48,376 
			 Stafford 14,786,961 19,955 20,089 22,840,278 30,824 31,029 
			 Stocken 15,432,545 19,811 19,106 26,465,176 33,973 32,764 
			 Usk 7,538,953 23,559 17,805 14,031,444 43,848 33,139 
			 Verne (The) 11,512,865 20,127 19,533 17,439,123 30,488 29,587 
			 Wayland 17,758,908 18,567 17,839 29,659,455 31,008 29,794 
			 Wealstun 16,978,252 20,918 32,925 27,937,314 34,420 54,177 
			 Wellingborough 13,460,515 21,098 21,150 20,968,143 32,865 32,947 
			 Whatton 18,217,997 23,386 22,161 27,615,422 35,450 33,592 
			 Wolds 9,342,246 29,195 24,197 13,035,950 40,737 33,765 
			 Wymott 24,106,269 22,190 21,281 37,480,091 34,501 33,088 
			 Total 533,232,906 23,031 22,588 843,185,160 36,418 35,718 
		
	
	
		
			 Male dispersal 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Frankland 40,694,639 51,534 53,551 57,449,576 72,752 75,600 
			 Full Sutton 29,368,371 49,303 50,389 43,992,344 73,854 75,480 
			 Long Lartin 28,034,936 46,300 48,364 40,189,039 66,373 69,331 
			 Wakefield 29,341,355 39,057 39,744 42,122,786 56,070 57,058 
			 Whitemoor 31,579,262 64,360 70,792 44,973,426 91,658 100,818 
			 Total 159,018,563 49,190 51,185 228,727,171 70,753 73,623 
		
	
	
		
			 Female closed 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Bronzefield 24,401,273 51,817 54,865 26,430,696 56,126 59,428 
			 Downview 10,590,306 29,582 30,838 16,167,334 45,160 47,078 
			 Foston Hall 9,983,242 35,276 43,453 13,941,063 49,262 60,679 
			 Send 8,721,037 30,926 31,935 13,225,766 46,900 48,431 
			 Total 53,695,858 38,522 41,592 69,764,860 50,050 54,039 
		
	
	
		
			 Female local 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Eastwood Park 11,181,553 34,299 37,035 15,718,419 48,216 52,062 
			 Holloway 21,358,878 40,581 49,701 31,301,642 59,471 72,837 
			 Low Newton 11,722,468 37,333 42,003 16,002,537 50,963 57,340 
			 New Hall 15,818,500 40,174 43,607 22,425,702 56,954 61,821 
			 Styal 15,296,944 33,993 35,852 20,934,776 46,522 49,066 
			 Total 75,378,344 37,500 41,873 106,383,076 52,925 59,096 
		
	
	
		
			 Female open 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Askham Grange 3,622,748 24,152 30,788 5,544,477 36,963 47,120 
			 East Sutton Park 2,751,212 28,074 31,205 4,306,243 43,941 48,842 
			 Total 6,373,960 25,701 30,967 9,850,720 39,721 47,858 
		
	
	
		
			 Male closed YOI (age 15 to 21) 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Aylesbury 13,584,962 30,805 31,152 21,244,077 48,173 48,716 
			 Brinsford 16,256,727 29,829 31,798 24,465,060 44,890 47,853 
			 Castington 14,754,834 36,887 42,757 20,825,867 52,065 60,350 
			 Deerbolt 15,085,242 29,406 31,620 22,758,332 44,363 47,703 
			 Feltham 33,138,053 43,488 50,689 48,404,304 63,523 74,041 
			 Glen Parva 18,338,450 27,508 23,265 28,685,773 43,029 36,392 
			 Hindley 18,216,153 32,970 59,823 25,482,012 46,121 83,685 
			 Lancaster Farms 16,896,876 35,202 33,153 26,371,549 54,941 51,743 
			 Northallerton 5,742,075 39,062 25,417 8,664,405 58,942 38,352 
			 Portland 15,576,852 25,747 29,257 22,794,383 37,677 42,813 
			 Reading 9,016,129 47,453 36,005 12,660,018 66,632 50,556 
			 Rochester 17,550,300 23,421 25,627 26,857,366 35,842 39,217 
			 Stoke Heath 17,078,907 26,938 29,141 25,132,984 39,642 42,883 
			 Swinfen Hall 14,780,758 24,471 23,811 23,215,043 38,436 37,398 
			 Total 226,016,318 31,006 32,633 337,561,174 46,308 48,738 
		
	
	
		
			 Male YOI young people (age 15 to 17) 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Ashfield 23,141,092 56,858 81,292 23,309,981 57,273 81,885 
			 Cookham Wood 8,935,386 61,623 95,822 11,867,847 81,847 127,269 
			 Huntercombe 13,519,968 37,555 58,150 19,059,646 52,943 81,977 
			 Warren Hill 9,896,726 44,580 55,496 13,552,415 61,047 75,995 
			 Werrington 7,013,541 43,835 53,200 9,695,774 60,599 73,546 
			 Wetherby 15,283,617 37,460 46,302 22,006,290 53,937 66,669 
			 Total 77,790,329 45,705 62,199 99,491,953 58,456 79,551 
		
	
	
		
			 Male local 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Altcourse 46,438,070 58,486 35,883 49,169,546 61,926 37,993 
			 Bedford 11,890,253 36,812 25,041 17,788,224 55,072 37,462 
			 Belmarsh 39,859,998 49,825 45,589 60,600,103 75,750 69,310 
			 Birmingham 29,659,870 26,745 20,585 45,802,798 41,301 31,789 
			 Bristol 15,480,815 36,511 25,465 22,249,958 52,476 36,600 
			 Brixton 20,587,169 33,972 26,958 29,421,515 48,550 38,527 
			 Bullingdon 22,490,458 25,586 20,589 36,710,197 41,764 33,607 
			 Cardiff 16,189,470 29,543 20,055 29,663,937 54,131 36,747 
			 Chelmsford 17,654,734 31,868 26,149 26,466,755 47,774 39,200 
			 Doncaster 23,496,327 30,475 21,018 33,875,362 43,937 30,302 
			 Dorchester 7,836,901 54,048 33,647 10,649,537 73,445 45,723 
			 Durham 23,035,128 38,301 23,902 33,621,757 55,904 34,886 
			 Exeter 13,135,508 41,568 25,080 18,705,527 59,195 35,715 
			 Forest Bank 31,562,625 36,051 26,300 35,171,441 40,173 29,307 
			 Gloucester 9,222,434 40,989 30,538 12,814,607 56,954 42,432 
			 Highdown 24,121,005 24,145 22,293 41,506,799 41,548 38,361 
			 Holme House 22,388,805 25,898 23,115 35,784,867 41,394 36,946 
			 Hull 21,723,433 30,046 21,628 34,326,617 47,478 34,176 
			 Leeds 24,321,857 29,339 21,324 37,730,512 45,513 33,080 
			 Leicester 9,440,244 44,954 26,443 13,293,823 63,304 37,238 
			 Lewes 16,313,366 26,185 25,496 24,599,257 39,485 38,446 
			 Lincoln 15,496,171 34,590 23,137 23,031,164 51,409 34,388 
			 Liverpool 26,051,023 21,965 19,691 39,507,150 33,311 29,862 
			 Manchester 35,300,991 36,619 28,774 52,249,605 54,201 42,589 
			 Norwich 16,563,142 30,266 25,985 25,970,579 47,457 40,743 
			 Nottingham 17,900,765 46,718 32,453 26,308,934 68,662 47,697 
			 Parc 45,393,240 54,169 38,660 47,744,362 56,974 40,662 
			 Pentonville 31,337,256 34,295 26,681 45,719,507 50,035 38,927 
			 Peterborough 31,292,633 37,253 32,937 34,828,071 41,462 36,658 
			 Preston 19,562,006 43,183 25,856 27,300,078 60,265 36,083 
			 Shrewsbury 8,672,656 47,134 28,789 12,150,980 66,038 40,335 
			 Swansea 9,212,630 37,148 23,206 15,843,749 63,886 39,909 
			 Wandsworth 36,199,901 32,753 21,892 52,939,638 47,898 32,015 
			 Winchester 15,657,238 31,377 22,632 23,250,124 46,593 33,607 
		
	
	
		
			 Woodhill 32,723,769 48,817 40,226 50,579,248 75,454 62,175 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 27,951,482 23,768 21,934 45,345,893 38,559 35,584 
			 Total 816,163,373 34,473 26,194 1,172,722,221 49,534 37,637 
		
	
	
		
			 Male open 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Ford 8,612,013 15,461 15,963 15,104,764 27,118 27,998 
			 Hollesley Bay 6,934,500 20,100 20,613 11,273,343 32,676 33,510 
			 Kirkham 13,515,299 22,907 23,123 20,443,844 34,651 34,977 
			 Leyhill 10,400,365 19,861 20,877 16,392,988 31,304 32,907 
			 North Sea Camp 5,908,156 18,579 19,366 8,956,643 28,166 29,358 
			 Sudbury 9,111,329 15,682 15,903 14,846,122 25,553 25,913 
			 Total 54,481,662 18,692 19,207 87,017,705 29,855 30,677 
		
	
	
		
			 Male open YOI 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Thorn Cross 8,766,128 27,224 30,473 13,233,592 41,098 46,003 
			 Total 8,766,128 27,224 30,473 13,233,592 41,098 46,003 
		
	
	
		
			 Semi open 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Blantyre House 3,081,756 25,260 25,771 4,753,287 38,961 39,749 
			 Drake Hall 8,209,835 26,063 29,444 11,782,750 37,406 42,257 
			 Kirklevington Grange 5,810,431 20,532 21,434 8,981,585 31,737 33,132 
			 Latchmere House 4,636,863 22,400 23,281 7,199,983 34,783 36,151 
			 Morton Hall 8,625,373 22,004 24,839 12,930,194 32,985 37,236 
			 Total 30,364,258 23,021 24,972 45,647,798 34,608 37,542 
		
	
	
		
			 Cluster 
			 Establishment name Direct resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner Overall resource expenditure Cost per place Cost per prisoner 
			 Brockhill/Hewell Grange/Blakenhurst 28,445,145 24,250 20,558 46,545,585 39,681 33,639 
			 Isle of Sheppey—Central Services 50,732,398 23,306 22,559 83,436,429 38,331 37,102 
			 IOW Cluster 39,820,487 25,537 23,952 61,669,948 39,549 37,095 
			 Total 118,998,031 24,240 22,474 191,651,961 39,040 36,195 
			 Notes: 1. Displayed figures are subject to rounding. 2. Establishments are categorised in these tables by their main role as at the end of 2009-10. Establishments that have more than one role have been placed in the category that represents the primary or dominant function of the prison. For this reason, performance of prisons within a category cannot necessarily be compared on a like for like basis. 3. There are two unit cost measurements. The ‘direct resource expenditure’ includes costs met locally by the establishments. The ‘overall cost’ includes prison-related overheads met centrally by NOMS, for example, property costs (including depreciation and cost of capital), major maintenance, prisoner escort and custody service (relates to transporting prisoners) and central HQ overheads. 4. YOI refers to young offender institutions. 5. Data for Elmley, Standford Hill and Swaleside are reported under the Sheppey cluster. Similarly, data for Blakenhurst, Brockhill and Hewell Grange is reported together as a cluster. Data for Parkhurst, Camp Hill and Albany are reported under the Isle of Wight cluster. 6. Cookham Wood changed from a female closed prison to a male juvenile prison in October 2007. Data for 2009-10 is shown under the category male juvenile. 7. Dover and Haslar are not included as they are immigration removal centres operating under Detention Centre Rules 2001. 8. Lindholme includes Lindholme IDC. It is a split site, part category C training prison and part immigration detention centre. 9. The following expenditure is not included: A one-off impairment charge of £525.05 million as a result of the revaluation of land and buildings. Operation Safeguard (use of police cells). Cost of capital on assets in the course of construction (£22.47 million). Project, operating and commissioning costs totalling £2.71 million at HMPYOI Isis, as the establishment was not opened during the course of year. 10. Private prisons and public prisons are included. The unit costs are not directly comparable because of different methods of financing. 11. For certain prisons the unit cost is not typical, because they are in the process of change (e.g. Bure was building up capacity during the year).

Prisoner Escapes

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisoners have absconded from HMP Sudbury since it opened.

Crispin Blunt: HMP Sudbury, originally built as a hospital for the US air force for the D-day landings, was converted to a prison in 1948. Table 1 shows the annual abscond figures, which are available only from 1997.
	The annual number of absconds has reduced significantly over the past 14 years. Of those prisoners that abscond, the majority are quickly recaptured, returned to closed conditions and referred to the police for prosecution.
	
		
			 Table 1: Breakdown of total absconds from HMP Sudbury since 1997-98 by financial year 
			  Number of absconds 
			 1997-98 81 
			 1998-99 75 
			 1999-2000 63 
			 2000-01 69 
			 2001-02 81 
			 2002-03 68 
			 2003-04 75 
			 2004-05 77 
			 2005-06 76 
			 2006-07 78 
			 2007-08 55 
			 2008-09 23 
			 2009-10 29 
			 2010-11 30 
			 Note: These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Citizens' Advice Bureaux

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support citizens advice bureaux.

Edward Davey: The Government recognise the important work done by citizens advice bureaux. That is why BIS is continuing to provide core funding for citizens advice, the national umbrella organisation for the Citizens Advice Service. Indeed, we are proposing increasing our support of it to help it reinforce its role at the heart of the consumer landscape.
	The Department has also agreed to continue funding of the debt advice programme this year until responsibility for this is taken on by the Money Advice Service in April 2012. We have committed another £27 million to this and much of this is delivered by bureaux.
	However, I also recognise that many bureaux are facing a challenging time at the moment and BIS is currently considering this issue with other interested departments, working with the voluntary advice sector.

Departmental Written Questions

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of written questions tabled to him for answer on a named day did not receive a substantive answer on the day named for answer between (a) 27 May 2010 and 19 July 2011 and (b) 9 March 2011 and 19 July 2011.

Edward Davey: The Department aims to answer named day questions on the date specified by the Member. Where it is not possible to provide a full answer within the usual deadline, the Department believes it will usually be preferable to provide an answer a few days late than to provide an incomplete answer. Figures are recorded by the Department on a monthly basis and from the total number of 1,339 named day PQs answered between May 2010 and July 2011, 454 did not receive a substantive reply on the date stipulated by the Member. The figures for March to July 2011 are 553 total answers of which 250 did not receive a substantive reply on the date specified.
	The figures have been drawn from the Department's database which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written parliamentary question performance on a sessional basis and will provide full information to the Committee at the end of the session. Statistics relating to Government Department's performance for the 2009/10 parliamentary session were previously provided to the committee and are available on the Parliament website.

Employers' Liability

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to improve the employability skills of the UK labour market.

John Hayes: Employability skills are essential to ensure that employers can recruit the talent they need to enable sustainable economic growth, social mobility and to help build the big society. Employability skills vary by the age of a person, the point at which they leave the education system and the requirements of employers in different sectors. There are a number of Government programmes to support employability. As part of our skills strategy, aimed mainly at those aged 19 and over, the Government are funding literacy and numeracy courses for those adults who lack these basic skills. We plan to maximise the economic and personal returns of this training following a review of basic skills provision currently under way, and we will be taking the necessary steps to make it more effective. Functional skills qualifications in English, mathematics and information and communications technology will become mandatory components of all apprenticeships frameworks by September 2012 replacing key skills as part of the programme. Unemployed people on active benefits can access skills training fully funded by the Skills Funding Agency to improve relevant labour market skills, including their employability skills, where this is appropriate to help them get sustainable employment.
	The recent Higher Education White Paper outlined proposals that will deliver a new focus on graduate employability. All universities have now set out in employability statements the range of support they provide to help students prepare for employment. We are also considering how wider employability skills can be further addressed through the Education and Skills Growth Review.

Higher Education: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding each higher education institution received from endowments, including alumni giving, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The data we hold centrally shows the total amount of income each HEI receives each year in new endowments given in that year, and income received on existing endowments already invested. It also shows the total value of endowments held by each HEI each academic year to 31 July 2008, 2009 and 2010. The table showing this data for the three most recent years available will be placed in the Libraries of the House. These figures are consistent with the published accounts for all HEIs. It should be noted that these published accounts do not include donations received by university colleges (e.g. Oxford and Cambridge colleges).
	Further detail on the income HEIs receive from alumni can be found in the annual Ross-CASE survey, available online at:
	http://www.rosscasesurvey.org.uk/
	These figures do include donations given to university colleges.
	The Government's matched funding for voluntary giving scheme uses £200 million of Government funding as a lever to generate £400 million of additional donations, including from alumni, to universities over three academic years from 2008-09 to 2010-11. The scheme is on track to achieve the target of an additional £400 million in private donations by the end of academic year 2010-11.

Higher Education: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate students there were at the (i) university of York and (ii) university of York St John in each year since 1996-97.

David Willetts: The latest available data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for the 2010/11 academic year will be available in January 2012.
	
		
			 UK-domiciled enrolments  (1)  ( )  at the university of York and York St John university by level of study, academic years 1996/97 to 2009/10 
			 Academic year University of York  York St John university  
			  Postgraduate Undergraduate Postgraduate Undergraduate 
			 1996/97 1,265 4,965 290 3,620 
			 1997/98 1,245 5,340 390 3,465 
			 1998/99 1,240 5,750 415 3,480 
			 1999/2000 1,390 5,830 540 3,415 
			 2000/01 1,430 6,145 525 3,660 
			 2001/02 1,625 6,725 660 3,915 
			 2002/03 1,710 6,965 810 4,465 
			 2003/04 1,975 7,320 775 4,280 
			 2004/05 1,920 7,600 610 4,385 
			 2005/06 2,040 8,215 705 5,110 
			 2006/07 1,785 8,080 730 4,875 
			 2007/08 1,880 8,030 615 4,825 
			 2008/09 2,100 8,105 620 5,270 
			 2009/10 2,240 9,080 625 4,540 
			  
			 (1) Enrolments are the total number of students regardless of their year of study. Note: Figures are based on a snapshot at 1 December and have been rounded to the nearest five. Figures cover enrolments on both full-time and part-time courses. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Land Registry: Applications

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications for adverse possession of plots of land were made to the Land Registry in each of the last 10 years; and how many such applications were successful.

Edward Davey: Applications for registration as the owner of land on the basis of adverse possession can be divided into two types. First, there are those where the land concerned is unregistered and the application is to register the squatter as the first “registered proprietor” (in other words, the first registered owner). Secondly, those where the land has already been registered and the application is to register the squatter as the new registered proprietor.
	Land Registry does not have reliable statistics for the first type of application. One of the main reasons for this is that it is not unusual for these “first registration applications” to be made on more than one basis. For example, the title deeds may not be entirely clear, and so, while Land Registry is satisfied that the applicant can properly be registered as proprietor and completes the application, it might not be clear whether he or she has a “documentary title” (the land involved falling within the extent covered by the title deeds) or a “possessory title” (the land falling outside the title deeds but the applicant having acquired title by virtue of adverse possession). Such an application may well not be recorded as being an adverse possession application.
	Land Registry does have statistics for the second type of application for the financial years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11: these show that the number of successful applications of this type in these years were 1,111, 1,059 and 868 respectively.

Land Registry: Applications

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications for adverse possession of plots of land made to the Land Registry in each of the last 10 years were found to be fraudulent.

Edward Davey: All applications for adverse possession made to Land Registry are considered on their merits. Applications either succeed or fail. There are no figures kept on why applications fail and we are therefore unable to provide the figures requested.

Land Registry: Applications

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many prosecutions under the Fraud Act were brought by the Land Registry as a result of dishonest statements being made by applicants for adverse possession in each of the last 10 years.

Edward Davey: There have been no prosecutions under the Fraud Act made by Land Registry as a result of dishonest statements made by applicants for adverse possession in the last 10 years.

Post Offices: Bank Services

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on increasing (a) account access through post offices and (b) awareness of account access through post offices.

Edward Davey: The Government have been clear that we wish to see a situation where all UK current accounts are accessible through the post office network. However, it is ultimately a commercial decision for those banks that do not currently extend this service to their customers as to whether they put these arrangements in place with Post Office Ltd (POL).
	The promotion of products and services is an operational matter, and is therefore the responsibility of senior management at Post Office Ltd.

Post Offices: Bank Services

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of access to bank accounts at post offices.

Edward Davey: This Government have been clear that we wish to see a situation where all UK current accounts are accessible through the post office network, providing a convenient place for people to access their cash, particularly where a bank branch is not available.
	The promotion of products and services that are provided at post offices is an operational matter and is therefore the responsibility of senior management at Post Office Ltd.

Post Offices: Bank Services

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with representatives of (a) Santander and (b) HSBC on customer access to bank accounts at post offices.

Edward Davey: This Government have been clear that we wish to see a situation where all UK current accounts are accessible through the post office network. Ministers and officials have been in regular contact with HSBC and Santander on this subject.

Rural Communities Policy Unit

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether officials of his Department have had recent discussions with the Rural Communities Policy Unit in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Edward Davey: Officials from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have regular discussion with officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rural Communities Policy Unit, the most recent of which were on 11 and 12 July 2011.

Union Modernisation Fund

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether funding provided by the Union Modernisation Fund has been used in projects to purchase services from the Campaign Company.

Edward Davey: Yes. The Campaign Company area communications consultancy who specialise in engagement with individuals and groups who are often less heard of or are seen as hard to reach.
	The company have worked with several of the trade unions who have undertaken Union Modernisation Fund (UMF) projects and they are currently working with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), GMB and Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) to design communications and training and development solutions targeted at vulnerable workers, which is the focus of the UMF round three projects.

Waste Disposal: VAT

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on allowing local authorities to undertake commercial waste collections free of VAT; and what account he took of the potential effects on private small and medium-sized enterprises dealing with commercial waste collection during the decision-making process.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	The issue is not one of competition law, but instead one of VAT law. As such, this was an operational matter and the decision was made by HMRC officials in response to a legal challenge against the taxation of local authority commercial waste collection services. Because of this, it was not possible to consult more widely.
	The Environmental Services Association have made representations to HMRC and there is ongoing dialogue about the VAT treatment of commercial waste collection.

CABINET OFFICE

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Richard Graham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many non-departmental public bodies have been (a) closed or disbanded and (b) established since June 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his most recent estimate is of the number of arm’s length bodies operating in Government; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Following the Public Bodies Review, 49 arm's length bodies have been abolished. The Government's reforms are expected to bring about an overall decrease of approximately 250 arm's length bodies. The Cabinet Office publishes a list of non-departmental public bodies, and their parent Departments, in its publication ‘Public Bodies’. The latest report provides this information up to 31 March 2009. More recent data will be published in due course, and will take into account changes that have occurred due to the Public Bodies Review, and proposed legislation.

Public Sector: Procurement

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  when the last SME Product Surgery took place;
	(2)  when he expects the next SME Product Surgery to be held.

Francis Maude: The most recent Product Surgery took place on 19 July 2011 as the final stage of the Innovation Launch Pad process. The Home Office is planning an SME Product Surgery on 24 October 2011.

TREASURY

Tax Avoidance

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington of 29 July 2011, Official Report, columns 819-820W, on tax avoidance, if he will require HM Revenue and Customs to outline its budget for tax compliance in each year of the spending review period.

David Gauke: We do not plan to require HMRC to break down their funding in this way as overall funding for HMRC’s compliance activity is not broken down or allocated in this way. Many aspects of its activity—from policy making, through support and education, to audits and investigations—contribute to delivering increased compliance from error through to evasion as well as countering criminal attacks and avoidance.

British Sky Broadcasting

Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on subscriptions to Sky TV since May 2010.

Justine Greening: The Department has spent £20,450 on subscriptions on Sky TV since May 2010.

Child Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will allow child benefit payments to be made to both parents where parental responsibility is shared after separation; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: Child benefit provides an element of support to the vast majority of families for their children. Where more than one person is responsible for a child and each satisfies the entitlement conditions, the law allows only one of them to receive the payment. The Government's view is that financial support should be paid to the person with the main responsibility for the child.

Child Tax Credit

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of the childcare element of the child tax credit in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area have had their level of credits reduced in the 2011-12 financial year.

David Gauke: The requested information is not available.

Coastal Communities Fund

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the effect on the Coastal Communities Fund of his proposals for machine games duty.

Justine Greening: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Corporation Tax

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to deal with any future failures in the online system for filing corporation tax returns.

David Gauke: There have been no recent failures in the HM Revenue and Customs' online service for filing Company Tax Returns. There is, however, a live issue in that the service will not be updated until October 2011 to take account of the rate reductions that took effect when the Finance Act received Royal Assent on 19 July 2011. This is to avoid the risk of service disruption from implementing a large number of changes to HM Revenue and Customs' online systems at the same time. The Department is working, as a matter of high priority, to reduce the level of risk so that any future changes can be implemented without unnecessary delay for companies that want to file their Company Tax Returns early.

Corporation Tax

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial effects on HM Revenue and Customs of the inability of businesses to submit their corporation tax returns online due to systems failures.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs' online service for filing Company Tax Returns will not be updated until October 2011 to take account of the rate reductions that took effect when the Finance Act received Royal Assent on 19 July 2011. This only affects filing by companies with accounting periods that end after 31 March 2011, which have a tax liability or are expecting a repayment, and which wish to file even though they are not required to do so until after 31 March 2012. Payments can be made by such companies at any time and are not affected. If such a company has an urgent need to file for a repayment, it can, as advertised on HM Revenue and Customs' website, contact its Corporation Tax Office for further advice.

Corporation Tax

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms have been established between the central office and local offices of HM Revenue and Customs to (a) share information on complaints and (b) avoid inconsistencies in information provided to local businesses on corporation tax returns.

David Gauke: Since 2007, HM Revenue and Customs has had a national complaints database used by all business areas to log complaints received. It is used to gather management information and provide a strategic view of complaints performance at both business area and departmental level. It also enables HM Revenue and Customs to identify poor customer service and processes that need to be improved. Feedback is also provided by the Adjudicator and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
	Information for companies about Company Tax Returns is on HM Revenue and Customs' website. To avoid inconsistencies, central guidance is issued to staff in local offices as necessary about how to respond to common queries.

Credit Cards: Fees and Charges

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will make an assessment of the effects of debit card surcharges on consumer spending; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Payment Services Regulation to ban debit card surcharges; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has received from consumer organisations on the practice of travel companies charging consumers for using debit cards online; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) published a report on 28 June 2011 on card surcharges following a super-complaint from Which?. The Government have received representations from Which? asking it to implement the OFT's recommendations quickly. The Government are considering the OFT's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Cru Investment Management: Compensation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from those who invested in Arch Cru funds on the compensation package which is being made available; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: The Treasury has received representations on this issue from a range of stakeholders, but it is not the Government's practice to disclose details of all such representations.
	In relation to Arch Cru funds, Capita Financial Managers Ltd (CFM) announced that
	“The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will, in due course, be publishing a statement of its findings in relation to CFM's role regarding the Arch Cru funds”.
	The FSA is continuing to look at the issues surrounding the Arch Cru funds, and it would not be appropriate to comment before this work is completed.
	The (FSA) is responsible for the regulation of financial services firms and operates independently from Government under the powers given to it in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. HM Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, but does not have investigative or prosecuting powers of its own.

Departmental Air Travel

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what occasions he has flown on official business (a) by budget airline and (b) in economy class in the last 12 months.

Justine Greening: Details of ministerial travel are published quarterly on the Treasury website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Environment Protection: Taxation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely level of revenue which will arise from the introduction of a carbon floor price up to 2020.

Justine Greening: holding answer 7 September 2011
	Budget 2011 set out the estimated revenue from the carbon price floor up to 2015-16.
	Revenues are dependent on the traded price of carbon in the EU Emissions Trading System.
	The Office for Budget Responsibility has recently made an assessment of long-term revenue sustainability. This includes combined revenues from the carbon price floor and the EU Emissions Trading System. This is available on page 99 in their “Fiscal sustainability report”, July 2011, available online at:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/pubs/FSR2011.pdf

Equitable Life Payment Scheme

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in support of the payment of compensation to Equitable Life policyholders who took out policies before 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: In her report, the parliamentary ombudsman recommended that the aim of the scheme should be
	“to put those people who suffered a relative loss back into the position that they would have been in had maladministration not occurred”.
	The first returns that would have been different if maladministration had not occurred were those of 1991, which would not have influenced policyholders’ decisions until September 1992. Therefore, with profits annuitants who bought their policies before September 1992 did so before maladministration could have affected their investment decision.
	The Government listened to a range of representation from interested parties on this and other issues in advance of announcing details of the scheme. We are now in the delivery stage of the scheme and the focus is upon making payments to the defined eligible population.

Financial Services: USA

Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department expects to provide assistance to the US Department of Justice in its criminal investigation of the actions of investment banking firms.

Mark Hoban: The setting of LIBOR by the British Banking Association (BBA) and the contributions made by banks to that process are not regulated activities under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The mechanisms used by the BBA to detect manipulation of LIBOR are a matter for the BBA.
	Any assistance that might be given to the US Department of Justice is a matter for the relevant investigatory authorities in the UK, which include the Financial Services Authority with respect to the conduct of regulated firms.
	As part of its role in helping establish the LIBOR rate, the BBA may also provide information to the Department of Justice, if requested.

Freedom of Information

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many requests made to his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since 25 May 2010 have been subject to an extension beyond the statutory 20 working days (a) where a public interest balance assessment was carried out that exceeded an additional 30 working days before a decision was taken and (b) where a public balance assessment was carried out which had exceeded an additional 30 working days and where no decision had been reached by 1 September 2011;
	(2)  how many requests made to his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since 25 May 2010 have been subject to an extension beyond the statutory 20 working days for a response while a public interest balance assessment was made; and what the average time to elapse between the date of extension and the date of the decision on the request has been and the average time of this time extension before a decision was reached;
	(3)  how many and what proportion of requests made to his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 since 25 May 2010 have not been answered within 20 working days.

Justine Greening: holding answer 7 September 2011
	Statistics on the Treasury’s performance under the Freedom of Information Act are available from the House Library and published by the Ministry of Justice. The most recent publication is available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/foi/implementation.htm
	The data published comply with the agreed reporting requirements for central Government Departments. The most recent published information shows that HMT responded to 98% of requests within the statutory deadline. Of these, 87% of cases were replied to within 20 working days and in 11% of cases the time to reply was extended.

Hotels

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of (a) four star, (b) five star and (c) other hotel accommodation for (i) staff, (ii) Ministers and (iii) special advisers in his Department between (A) November 1999 and June 2001, (B) May 2002 and June 2007 and (C) June 2007 and January 2008.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury does not limit bookings by star rating but rather by a cap on cost per night. Accordingly, no records of star ratings is kept. It has not been possible to obtain the information for past bookings as the Department's travel supplier during these periods is no longer trading.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 13 July 2011 with regard to Mrs Rahman.

Justine Greening: HM Revenue and Customs' Chief Executive's Office wrote to the right hon. Member on 7 September 2011 on the Economic Secretary's behalf.

National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to extend the national insurance contributions holiday.

David Gauke: holding answer 7 September 2011
	The policy is designed to support new businesses in parts of the country that are most reliant on the public sector, assisting them in their first year by reducing the costs of hiring staff and improving the likelihood of business survival.
	The Government have considered the case for extending the NICs holiday but believes the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the NICs holiday as a targeted scheme for those areas in most need of employment support.

National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Scunthorpe constituency have benefited from the national insurance contribution holiday since its introduction.

David Gauke: holding answer 7 September 2011
	As of 15 August, HMRC has received five successful applications from businesses in Scunthorpe constituency.

Pensions: Public Sector

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the opt out rates for public sector pensions were in each year from 2006 to 2010.

Danny Alexander: This information is not held centrally. Departments responsible for the pension schemes hold data on scheme membership.

Personal Financial Information

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what sanctions apply to UK clearing banks which seek to elicit and archive inappropriate personal financial information unrelated to an Adult with Incapacity from guardians and deputies when registering the relevant court's order of appointment;
	(2)  if he will instruct the Financial Services Authority to review the level and extent of personal financial information unrelated to an Adult with Incapacity requested by UK clearing banks from guardians and deputies when seeking to register the relevant court's order of appointment.

Mark Hoban: It is important that banks have procedures in place to verify both the identity of their customers, and the identity of people acting as guardians and deputies on behalf of their customers. Identity checks make it more difficult for fraud to occur, and so help to protect consumers. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) does not have specific rules on the procedures banks should take to verify identity, though the Government recognise that measures taken need to be proportionate to the risks posed, as well as being effective.
	If a guardian or deputy believes a bank has asked them to provide personal financial information that they consider to be inappropriate, they should consider complaining to the bank. If they complain and are unhappy with the outcome, they can refer their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Taxation

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many changes to taxation policy he has made since the 2011 Budget; and whether a tax information and impact note was published for each change.

David Gauke: Tax information and impact notes (TIINs) relating to changes announced at Budget 2011 were published in the ‘Overview of tax legislation and rates’ document, available on the HM Treasury website.
	As set out in ‘The new approach to tax policy making: a response to the Consultation’, the Government will publish a TIIN at the point at which detailed policy design is settled. In most cases, this will be the point at which draft legislation is published for scrutiny by interested parties.
	TIINs to accompany the three changes that have been announced since the Budget are published in line with this approach.

Taxation: Aviation

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the combined effects on Exchequer revenue in a full year of taxing aviation fuel at the same rate as petrol for cars, imposing a 20 per cent. tax on air fares for aircraft departing UK airports and abolishing air passenger duty, assuming no change in demand for air travel; and what the effects of such measures would be using the same assumptions, but without abolition of air passenger duty.

Justine Greening: Under the terms of the Chicago convention, it is illegal to tax fuel for international flights. Accordingly the Government have not made an estimate of the revenue that would result from taxation of fuel in the manner suggested.
	The UK already imposes air passenger duty on airlines for passengers that they carry and therefore no estimate of imposing a 20% tax on airfares has been made.

Taxation: Business

Jesse Norman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he and (b) the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury has had with the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs on the appropriateness of discussion and negotiation in the settlement of tax liabilities.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers and officials have frequent discussions with the chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Taxation: Gambling

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his proposals for taxation of offshore gambling companies will ensure (a) that such companies pay an equivalent rate of tax to land-based companies offering gambling services to customers in the UK and (b) that collection of such taxes is fully enforceable.

Justine Greening: On 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 62WS, the Government announced their intention to review the taxation regime for remote gambling, looking at the case for taxing operators on the basis of customer location.
	As part of the review, the Government are identifying options for reform and are seeking further input from stakeholders regarding the proposals. No decisions have been taken.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisations officials of his Department have met as part of the consultation on reform of the taxation of gaming machines through the introduction of machine games duty.

Justine Greening: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions. A summary of responses to the consultation will be published in the autumn.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests his Department has received for meetings relation to the proposals for machine games duty; and how many meetings have taken place.

Justine Greening: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason the public consultation period for the introduction of machine games duty was less than 12 weeks.

Justine Greening: The response time was shorter than 12 weeks to allow for proper consideration of all consultation responses ahead of the publication of a second draft of the legislation in the autumn.
	To ensure that stakeholders were able to contribute as fully as possible to the consultation, HMT and HMRC held meetings with industry groups and individual companies.

Taxation: Isle of Man

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated value was of the Isle of Man's share of joint indirect tax revenues in each year until 2015 (a) when the 2009 formula was agreed between the Isle of Man and HM Treasury, (b) after the Isle of Man changed the way that it measured its national income in 2010 and (c) under the revised formula announced on 18 July 2011.

David Gauke: When the revenue sharing formula was revised in 2009, the UK's estimate of the Isle of Man's share of joint indirect tax revenues was £230 million for 2011-12 and £245 million for 2012-13. Estimates were not made for subsequent years.
	After the 2010 change to the methodology for measuring the Isle of Man's national income the estimate of its share for 2011-12 was £334 million and for 2012-13 £365 million. Estimates were not made for subsequent years.
	Under the agreement announced on 18 July 2011 the Isle of Man will receive £272 million for 2011-12 and £252 million for 2012-13 (including transitional payments of £45 million and a further £25 million respectively). The current estimate for the isle of Man's share, of joint revenues for 2013-14 is £270 million. We do not have an estimate for the year 2014-15.

VAT

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in the rate of VAT on households in each parliamentary constituency.

David Gauke: Data to make an assessment of the effect of the increase in the rate of VAT on households in each parliamentary constituency are not available.

VAT

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) annual cost to the Exchequer (i) before and (ii) after taking account of consequent changes in other tax receipts and (b) effects on employment of reducing value added tax from 20 per cent. to five per cent. on the repair, maintenance and improvement of residential property.

David Gauke: The cost of reducing VAT from 20% to 5% on repair, maintenance and improvement of residential property, in the absence of behavioural change, is tentatively estimated to be in the region of £2.2 billion.
	No estimate has been made on the effect on employment from reducing value added tax on the repair, maintenance and improvement of residential property.

VAT: Channel Islands

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the provision of low value consignment relief on entertainment products sold by mail order from the Channel Islands on independent high street entertainment stores.

David Gauke: We have not performed an assessment but we are aware of the impact on high street stores, and the Exchequer. The Treasury is currently considering further measures to stem the impact of LVCR.

VAT: Channel Islands

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to remove low value consignment relief for (a) music and (b) other entertainment products sold by mail order from the Channel Islands.

David Gauke: The Government have not finalised their plans for changes to the low value consignment relief for goods imported from the Channel Islands at this time but is reviewing options.

VAT: Entertainments

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission, (b) multiple retailers and (c) independent stores on the effects of low value consignment relief on (i) music and (ii) the general entertainment industry.

David Gauke: The Government have been in contact with the European Commission to discuss their options to restrict the low value consignment relief and has received representations from a number of trade sectors affected by LVCR. Ministers are now reviewing what options are open to the Government to make further changes to LVCR.

VAT: Imports

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue foregone by the Exchequer due to the provision of low value consignment relief in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: The estimate of the revenue foregone by the Exchequer due to the provision of low value consignment relief in each of the last five calendar years is as follows:
	
		
			  Loss of VAT (£ million) 
			 2006 90 
			 2007 100 
			 2008 130 
			 2009 140 
			 2010 130 
		
	
	For consistency and ease of comparison, the figures in the table assume a constant standard rate of VAT of 17.5%. The actual cost for 2009 is slightly different from these figures reflecting the temporary cut in the standard rate of VAT.

VAT: Waste Disposal

Kevan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether he consulted specialists in European competition law before taking the decision to allow local authorities to undertake commercial waste collections free of VAT;
	(2)  whether his Department consulted representatives of the private management sector before taking the decision to allow local authorities to undertake commercial waste collections free of VAT;
	(3)  what consultation his Department undertook before taking the decision to allow local authorities to undertake commercial waste collections free of VAT.

David Gauke: The issue is not one of competition law, but instead one of VAT law. As such, this was an operational matter and the decision was made by HMRC officials in response to a legal challenge against the taxation of local authority commercial waste collection services. Because of this, it was not possible to consult more widely.
	The Environmental Services Association have made representations to HMRC and there is ongoing dialogue about the VAT treatment of commercial waste collection.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of (a) abortions performed (i) before the 12th week of pregnancy, (ii) between the 12th and 18th weeks of pregnancy, (iii) between the 18th and 24th weeks of pregnancy and (iv) after the 24th week of pregnancy and (b) provision of the morning after pill in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [R]

Anne Milton: The cost to the national health service of abortions performed before the 12th week of pregnancy, between the 12th and 18th weeks of pregnancy, between the 18th and 24th( )weeks of pregnancy and after the 24th week of pregnancy is not collected by the Department.
	The Department does not collect the cost to the NHS of the provision of the morning after pill. However, the NHS Information Centre is able to provide the net ingredient cost of drugs supplied which is shown in the following table, but does not hold information on the total cost to the NHS.
	Figures are taken from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) database which contains information on the number of items dispensed in England. These figures cover emergency contraceptives issued on prescriptions in primary care only. Emergency contraceptives can also be supplied without a prescription either through contraceptive and sexual health clinics, or by pharmacists under a Patient Group Direction. Emergency contraception may also be purchased by patients over the age of 16 in pharmacies.
	Emergency contraceptives are listed in the British National Formulary under paragraph 7.3.5. The figures given are for the morning after pill only and do not include prescriptions for intra-uterine contraceptive devices, which can also be used for emergency contraception.
	
		
			 Financial year Net ingredient cost (£) 
			 2007-08 1,839,762 
			 2008-09 1,704,023 
			 2009-10 1,597,437 
			 Notes:  PCA Data 1. Prescription information is taken from the PCA system, supplied by the Prescription Services Division of the NHS Business Services Authority, and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions. 2. Prescribers are general practitioners, hospital doctors, dentists and non-medical prescribers such as nurses and pharmacists. 3. Net ingredient cost (NIC) NIC is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

Action on Smoking and Health

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met representatives of ASH in each of the last three years.

Anne Milton: Records of ministerial meetings with outside organisations can be found on the Department's website. These records show that, since 1 January 2009, departmental Ministers have met with representatives of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) once and spoken at ASH-arranged events twice.
	Ministers have also met once with Smokefree Action Coalition, of which ASH is a member.
	The Department does not keep a central diary of the engagements that every departmental official has had with ASH representatives, nor is a central record kept of meetings attended by officials where an ASH representative may also have attended.

Breast Feeding

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which are the principal research findings underpinning his Department's promotion of breast-feeding over formula.

Anne Milton: The Department's policy on infant feeding is based on the advice by the United Kingdom's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition who assessed the scientific evidence and the World Health Organisation's systematic review The optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding and concluded that there was sufficient evidence that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant's life is nutritionally adequate.
	An extensive body of scientific evidence indicates that breastfed infants are less likely to develop gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary tract infections. A list of key research references that underpin the Department's policy has been placed in the Library.

Carers

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to ensure that carers are included in care plans and receive support to help them provide care;
	(2)  if he will take steps to improve the provision of training for carers.

Paul Burstow: The Community Care Assessment Directions 2004 place existing good practice and guidance on conducting care assessments and care planning into a legal framework. These directions are covered by local authority circular, LAC (2004)24.
	The directions explicitly state that when carrying out a community care assessment, a local authority must, where appropriate, provide information to carers, consult with them and take reasonable steps to reach agreement with the person and their carer on the community care services they are considering providing to meet assessed needs.
	The Law Commission report, published on 10 May 2011, devotes a chapter to considering carers' legislation, and the area is a major theme throughout.
	Across the recommendations, the key principle is to try to achieve parity between carers and people who use services. To do so, the report makes specific recommendations in relation to carer assessments, carers services, eligibility criteria and young carers.
	In respect of care plans in particular, recommendation 30 says that there should be a duty on local authorities to ensure the production of a care and support plan for people with assessed eligible needs (including carers).
	The Government are considering all the recommendations together as part of designing our approach to law reform. We plan to set out our legislative approach at the time of the Care and Support White Paper in spring 2012. This will respond to the Law Commission's report.
	The training materials, which comprised the former Caring with Confidence training course are available on the Carers Direct website for carers to access. Resources from Caring with Confidence were re-invested across 11 projects, these included:
	£1.8 million funding to a range of voluntary sector organisations supporting carers including the Afiya Trust, in recognition of the particular needs and challenges faced by carers from ethnic minority communities;
	over £1 million funding for training and carer awareness raising for key health and social professionals, including general practitioners (GPs) and their practice staff; and
	£1.35 million funding for a grant scheme aimed at encouraging bids from patient-led and condition related organisations wishing to do more to support carers by reaching out to people who do not necessarily see themselves as carers. We received over 270 bids from a wide range of organisations and plan to fund over 80 organisations who were successful bidders.
	In addition, we are investing over £800,000 in 2010-11 in a range of activities to support training and awareness raising for GPs and practice staff on carers issues.

Chlamydia: Testing

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department provides for testing young people for chlamydia; how many young people (a) were tested and (b) tested positive in (i) England and (ii) Gloucestershire in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) which was launched in 2003, provides opportunistic testing for chlamydia for 15 to 24-year-olds. In 2010-11, £1,626,000 was allocated to the Health Protection Agency to run the NCSP.
	The Department also makes recurrent revenue allocations direct to primary care trusts (PCTs) on the basis of a national weighted capitation formula which is used to determine each PCTs target share of available resources. The components of the formula are used to weight each PCTs population according to their relative need (age and additional need) for health care and the unavoidable geographical differences in the cost of providing health care (the market forces factor).
	PCT recurrent revenue allocations are not broken down by policy or service area. Once allocated, it is for PCTs to commission the services they require, including chlamydia testing, to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of both local and national priorities.
	Information on the number of chlamydia tests and diagnoses in those 15 to 24 years of age is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Community Data (NCSP and Non NCSP Non GUM) April 2010 to March 2011, GUM data January 2010 to December 2010 
			  Community Chlamydia Testing Data (NCSP + non NCSP, non GUM) Positive tests reported from the Community Chlamydia Testing Data (NCSP + non NCSP, non GUM) % of Community tests positive Chlamydia tests reported to GUM Positive tests reported from GUM % of GUM tests positive 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 16,396 1,003 6.1 3,788 518 13.7 
		
	
	
		
			 England 1,733,220 90,567 5.2 500,311 57,167 11.4 
			 Notes: 1. Data presented are the number of chlamydia tests and diagnoses reported and not the number of people tested or diagnosed. 2. Data are presented for Gloucestershire PCT and England only. GUM clinic returns: GUMCAD (Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Activity Dataset): 1. Numbers of tests and diagnoses are adjusted for missing GUM clinic data in 2010. 2. Data are sourced from the GUMCAD report (2010). Due to different data collection and publication dates, GUMCAD data presented is one quarter behind the NCSP data. 3. GUM clinic chlamydia diagnoses include C4A and C4B and C4C (complicated and uncomplicated chlamydia) only. 4. The chlamydia tests reported are from sexual health screens performed at GUM clinics which include testing for Chlamydia, Community Chlamydia Testing Data: 1. The NCSP offers opportunistic chlamydia screening to those aged 15 to 24 years attending a variety of non-GUM clinic settings. NCSP figures therefore include diagnoses among 15 to 24-year-olds only. 2. Data presented are based on all tests with confirmed positive chlamydia test results including partners/contacts as well as index cases. 3. The NCSP also collects data from laboratories on numbers of diagnoses made in those aged 15 to 24 years tested outside registered NCSP settings and GUM clinics. 4. Reporting of "Non-NCSP/Non-GUM" returns began in April 2008. 5. Numbers of tests and diagnoses are not adjusted for missing Non-NCSP/Non-GUM data in 2011. Source: Health Protection Agency, GUMCAD returns, NCSP returns, Non NCSP Non GUM returns Date of data: 8 September 2011

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to support people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Paul Burstow: Responsibility for meeting the health needs of those living with long-term neurological conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) rests with local health bodies. They are expected to implement the guidance produced by the National Institute for Heath and Clinical Excellence on CFS/ME, as well as the more general guidance on neurological conditions, the National Service Framework for Long-term Neurological Conditions, produced by the Department.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition of myalgic encephalopathy his Department uses; and how it categorises the condition.

Paul Burstow: The report of the CFS/ME Working Group to the chief medical officer, in January 2002, suggested that the composite term chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) be used as an umbrella term for this condition, or spectrum of disease.
	This term is used by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for their clinical guidelines, which also provide a definition of this condition for health professionals.
	The Department classes CFS/ME as a long-term neurological disease of unknown cause.

Health Services: Older People

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he proposes for clinical audits in assisting commissioning bodies to (a) identify the reasons for emergency readmissions of patients aged over 65 years of age and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of post-discharge planning.

Simon Burns: All national health service organisations should use appropriate indicators to monitor and seek to improve the quality of the care which they are commissioning or providing.
	Available indicators include various measures of the rates of emergency readmission following specific procedures, and an indicator of the proportion of older people who were still at home 91 days after discharge from hospital into rehabilitation, services. Where these high-level indicators show cause for concern, more detailed local clinical audit may be helpful in identifying the possible underlying causes. In line with the Government's commitment to greater transparency in the information available on the outcomes of patient care, providers are encouraged to share appropriate data from clinical audit with their commissioners.

Hepatitis: Ethnic Groups

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the prevalence rate is of Hepatitis C by ethnic origin.

Anne Milton: The Health Protection Agency estimates that, in 2005, 0.54%, of the adult population in England had antibody to hepatitus C (HCV).
	Data on the prevalence of HCV by ethnic origin are limited, however some studies in England have found that individuals who originate from the Indian sub-continent are among those at increased risk of hepatitis C infection. Research jointly funded by the Hepatitis C Trust and the Department, published in 2010 indicated that 1.6%, of people of south Asian origin had evidence of hepatitis C infection. The corresponding rate for people born in Pakistan was 2.7%.

HIV Infection: Drugs

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the treatment of HIV-infected patients with the Gc protein-derived macrophage activating factor; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department has not commissioned or evaluated research specifically on the treatment of HIV-infected patients with the Gc Protein-Derived Macrophage Activating Factor.
	The Department's National Institute for Health Research is currently funding a £2 million randomised controlled trial of a protease inhibitor monotherapy versus continuing combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infected patients previously established on a dual nucleoside and non-nucleoside combination regimen.

Hospices: Finance

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with primary care trusts on funding for hospices; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what guidance he has provided to primary care trusts on funding for hospices; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that hospices receive adequate funding; what plans he has for the future of hospice funding; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment his Department has made of the merits of introducing a national tariff for hospice care; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The Department's “End of Life Care Strategy” (2008) makes clear the responsibilities of the national health service to ensure adequate support for hospices, including through stronger commissioning and adhering to the principles of the “Compact Code of Good Practice”. The Department made £286 million additional funding available to help implement the strategy over 2009-10 and 2010-11. Hospices were in a good position to work with the NHS to secure some of this funding to deliver many of the initiatives recommended in the strategy. As part of this funding, the Department made available a £40 million capital budget for hospices in 2010-11 to support improvements to the care environment
	As part of the development of the strategy, a review was undertaken of specialist palliative care spend by primary care trusts (PCTs). This was published alongside the strategy, and provided useful data for PCTs to benchmark their levels of specialist palliative care provision. This exercise has been' repeated for 2010-11, and will be published shortly.
	We have made a commitment to review payment systems to support end of life care, including exploring options for per-patient funding to meet the commitment in the coalition agreement. This work has been taken forward by the independent Palliative Care Funding Review, which reported on 1 July. The recommendations of the review will influence decisions on future funding policies for dedicated palliative care services, whoever provides them. We are currently considering these recommendations in detail and expect to engage with stakeholders on this later this year before running pilots.
	We have had no recent discussions with, nor provided any guidance to, PCTs specifically on funding for hospices.

Learning Disability

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to commission organisations with expertise in communication aids and assistive technology to advise families and agencies on the opportunities such services provide for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: There are no plans at present to provide information about communication aids and assistive technology.

Macular Degeneration: Drugs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will refer the prescribing of Avastin to treat wet age-related macular degeneration to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Avastin (bevacizumab) is not licensed for use in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has conducted work with stakeholders to explore the feasibility of appraising Avastin for the treatment of eye conditions and submitted a report of its findings to the Department in 2010. The report is available on NICE'S website at:
	www.nice.org.uk/ourguidance/niceguidancebytype/technology appraisals/proposedappraisals/bevacizumabineyeconditions.jsp
	We have no immediate plans to refer this topic to NICE for appraisal, but will keep this position under review.

NHS

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he proposes for befriending services in the NHS.

Paul Burstow: People supported by community care services can often feel socially isolated and lonely. Befriending services provide people in this situation with opportunities for social interaction and a sense of being part of a community. These services can be particularly helpful for people recovering from a mental illness, older people, people on the autistic spectrum, and those accessing palliative care.
	Our goal is to give local communities a much greater say in determining local arrangements for assisting and supporting national health service patients. The new local Healthwatch will make its own decisions about what is needed locally—whether and how to make the best use of local people to respond to the needs of patients both in hospitals and in community settings. This builds on the existing powers of local authorities and local health bodies to commission both advocacy and befriending services.

NHS: Finance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much income the NHS received from (a) Bounty and Patientline/Hospedia, (b) each of the top five by income partner organisations and (c) other third party organisations in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information on national health service income received from individual companies in respect of local contracts with NHS organisations, including Bounty and Hospedia (formerly Patientline).

NHS: Finance

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much (a) direct and (b) indirect revenue the NHS received from parking charges in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested as the Department does not hold data on direct and indirect revenue the national health service received from parking charges. However, the Department did historically collect some data on income from staff, patient and visitors from parking charges.
	From 2001-02 to 2007-08, the Department collected annual data from national health service trusts on car parking provision and any associated charges, through the Estates Returns Information Collection. In 2004-05, the collection of these data was moved from a mandatory to a voluntary basis. In order to lessen the burden on the NHS to provide central returns, the collection of voluntary data items ceased after the 2007-08 period and therefore the collection of data on car parking was discontinued after the 2007-08 collection period. The Department does not hold data on this subject after that period.
	The data which are available for each year from 2001-02 to 2007-08 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Total income from staff, patients and visitors 
			  £ million 
			 2001-02 60 
			 2002-03 72 
			 2003-04 83 
			 2004-05 78 
			 2005-06 98 
			 2006-07 102 
			 2007-08 112 
		
	
	The information provided has been supplied by the NHS and had not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
	The provision of hospital car parking and any associated charges are decided locally by individual trusts to help cover the cost of running, maintaining and securing a car park. All NHS trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors. Local policies should include fair concessions for all patients whose health care needs require extended or frequent access to hospital. Patients on low incomes are entitled to recover travel costs, including car parking charges, under the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme.

Obesity: Children

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to reduce levels of childhood obesity; and what recent progress has been made in reducing those levels.

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Redditch (Karen Lumley) on 6 September 2011, Official Report, columns 582-83W.

Palliative Care: Standards

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the quality of hospice and palliative care provision in England.

Paul Burstow: We are committed to improving the quality of all services provided to patients, including those approaching the end of life. The Mandate and National Health Service Outcomes Framework will drive quality improvement throughout the NHS.
	The end of life care Quality Standard being developed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will set out the evidence-based characteristics of a high quality service for end of life care, which will help commissioners and providers to improve the quality of services.
	We are commissioning a national survey to ask bereaved relatives about the deceased's experience of care, as well as asking them about their own experience. The survey, which should be complete by March 2012, will inform a new indicator on end of life care within the patient experience domain of the NHS Outcomes Framework, as well as informing local service improvement activity.
	We have made no recent assessment of the quality of hospice and palliative care provision.

Pregnancy: Death

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of deaths of women from conditions directly or indirectly related to pregnancy.

Anne Milton: There has been a significant reduction in the United Kingdom's maternal death rate—from 13.95 per 100,000 maternities in the triennium 2003-05 to 11.39 in 2006-08.
	The Department has made the provision of safe, high quality maternity services, focused on improving outcomes for women and babies, a priority in the NHS Outcomes Framework for 2011-12.
	The Department encourages early access to maternity services and has included the maternity 12-week early access indicator as one of the measures for quality in the NHS Operating Framework for 2011-12. This will enable those women who can be identified as being at increased risk of complications to receive additional support and monitoring from an early stage.

Private Finance Initiative: Suffolk

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the outstanding private finance initiative debts are for (a) Ipswich Hospital, (b) the West Suffolk Hospital and (c) Suffolk Primary Care Trust;
	(2)  what the outstanding future financial liabilities are for (a) Ipswich Hospital, (b) the West Suffolk Hospital and (c) Suffolk Primary Care Trust.

Simon Burns: Information on the total amount owed by each organisation in' respect of bank overdrafts, current and long term loans, obligations under finance leases, Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) arrangements, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 NHS Future Financial Liabilities as at 31 March 2010 
			  2009-10 (£000) 
			 Suffolk Primary Care Trust 86 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 45,249 
			 West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust 3,554 
			 Source: Audited Summarisation Schedules, 2009-10 
		
	
	'Outstanding future financial liabilities' could be interpreted in a number of ways in relation to the finances of national health service organisations. We have interpreted this to mean the total amount reported by each NHS organisation in their Statement of Financial Position in respect of bank overdrafts, current and long term loans, obligations under finance leases, PFI and LIFT arrangements. These are the items most readily identified with the term 'financial liabilities' in accounting terminology.
	The figure for Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust includes a liability on the trust's books in respect of a PFI hospital of £28,642,000. Under International Financial Reporting Standards, PFI assets, are recorded on the Statement of Financial Position with a corresponding liability.
	Information on the annual Unitary Payments made under every signed health sector PFI contract over the lifetime of the contract can be found on the HM Treasury website at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pfi_signed_projects_list_march2011.xls
	The health sector schemes are clearly marked "DH-Acute (i.e. Hospitals)"—that for Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust has the Project ID number 315. As described above, there are no PFI schemes at West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust or Suffolk Primary Care Trust. The table includes information on payments already made (i.e. for financial years preceding 2011-12) and estimated for the remaining contract period.
	The Unitary Payment is paid by the national health service body to the private sector counterparty to the contract and covers all the services provided under the contract—initial construction, so the capital costs (repayment of principal and financing); building maintenance; and in many cases the non-clinical support services such as cleaning, laundry, catering, portering and security. The payments are subject to meeting agreed performance and quality standards and the estimated amounts include an annual uprate assumption for inflation of 2.5% for future years.

Transplant Surgery: Reading

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Reading West constituency were assessed as needing an organ transplant in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Reading West constituency solid organ transplant list statistics, by financial year 
			  Status 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Number on waiting list at the start of the year Active 21 20 18 17 15 
			  Suspended 3 3 7 5 7 
			 New recipient registrations Active 7 4 9 11 — 
			 Notes: 1. 'Active' means the patient is currently in a state to receive a transplant. 2. 'Suspended' means they are temporarily unable to receive a transplant (though they ultimately need one) as they are to ill, away, etc. Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Varicose Veins: Health Services

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has been issued to health trusts on the provision by the NHS of endovenous laser treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Guidance is available from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the safety and efficacy of endovenous laser treatment of the long saphenous vein, and on the circumstances in which general practitioners should consider referring patients with varicose veins to specialist services. The Department's elective care commissioning pathway for varicose veins, published in 2009, refers to NICE's referral guidance and to the use of endovenous laser treatment as a possible alternative to surgery for some patients.